The Ice in our Stars
by CroSakura
Summary: One night of cursed passion, forgotten, until a child graces the world. Difficult decisions must be made with the arrival of the child, ancient promises and honour must be upheld. Lucy will do anything in her power to make sure her child will not suffer the family fate. Gray not knowing he has a son until years later enters a world of cursed fate trying to mend his family.
1. Decisions

**The four things you need to know and read! Honestly if you don't feel like reading everything at least read nr. 2 it's important to the story!**

**I got my inspiration from a fiction called Love Lust Spell by Nuriiko - it's a good fiction, go and read that one if you want ;) recomended**

**In this book the Heartfilia family never goes bankrupt!**

**This has been Beta edited by Yvaine-Star!**

**This honest to God my first book so be nice to me :D**

**Other than that have fun!**

* * *

Chapter 1 - Decisions

Lucy was sure of two things right now, first, the Gods hated her and secondly, she was in some serious trouble. When it came to signs and books she was the first to notice things and had a relatively high IQ. Yet, when it came to her own matters, it seemed that IQ flew out the window. This was one of those cases, the last four months had moved so fast that she didn't even notice the fact that _IT_ hadn't come like it was supposed to.

She sat on her bed thinking about what she was going to do now, an abortion was out of the question, she was too far along, but the father of the child was kind of in a healthy relationship and didn't even remember sleeping with her. If it could even be called that. She frowned while thinking about it, did that count as lovemaking or just casual sex? No, she had been raped.

She groaned. She didn't like the sound of that word, although technically it had been rape; he himself didn't know he was doing it. Hell, she even thought that was just some weird sex dream until recently. Curses really shouldn't be underestimated but that was beside the point, the question was, what was she going to do now? She couldn't exactly just walk up to him and say: 'Hi guess what, I'm pregnant!' And you're the father even though you can't remember and the sex wasn't exactly consensual but I would like it if you took responsibility for it. She banged the back of her head against the wall, wondering why her.

She heard her window being opened and heat enter the room. She knew it was Natsu, so she didn't bother looking.

"Hey Luce, what are you doing?" she glanced at him and saw him sitting in her sofa all comfortable and felt like throwing something at him but decided against it, it wasn't his fault really, just pregnancy hormones.

"Thinking," she answered instead and saw him look curious while tilting his head.

"About?" He pushed her when she didn't answer him. She laid down on her stomach so her face was facing him and they could have conversation even if she didn't want to right now - she was still raised as a lady and manners died hard.

"It's personal Natsu, don't worry," she smiled at him and he smiled back like he always did.

"Is it about the different smell on you?" he asked happily and Lucy groaned. _Right, the smell_. He had started sniffing her really badly these last two months and she had wondered what his problem was but know she knew, he was smelling the baby.

"Yeah, I figured out what it was and I'm thinking about how I should deal with it," she rolled over to her back and got of the bed to get dressed.

"Then what was it?" he asked curious, wanting to categorize the smell he didn't recognize.

"It's personal Natsu, um, something only girls get. You wouldn't understand," she explained and Natsu seemed to have gotten the hint that she didn't want to talk about it. "Why are you even here?" she turned to look at him expectantly.

"Oh yeah, wanna go on a mission?" He jumped and grabbed a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to her. She took and looked at it '**kill rabid beast pack, reward 200,000 jewels**,' she cringed, already imagining all the possible situations in which she might get wouldn't have mattered before, but her body wasn't her own anymore and that would just be selfish.

Sighing, she handed the paper back to Natsu, "Sorry, but I'm not going to go on missions for a while. I'm taking a break" she nodded to herself. _Yeah, that was exactly the thing she was going to do_.

"Why? This is a good job, the reward is great! I had to fight Gajeel for it, come on Luce," he was practically begging her and she had no other choice than to laugh, which he took as a sign, that she was OK with it.

"Sorry, Natsu, not gonna happen. Take Erza and Gray with you," that way she would get away from Gray and have some alone time until she finds out what she's going to do.

"Fine, but you're going on the next one," he pocketed the mission and started to leave, "Promise?" he stopped before he jumped out and looked at her and she laughed.

"Sure, why the hell not? It better be an easier one," she left to go take a shower after he had jumped out satisfied with an answer.

The shower felt nice against her skin and she stayed there for a while thinking about what she was going to do. She had a few options really and right now she was considering one very special.

She heard a knock on her bathroom door and stopped the water, "Who is it?" she yelled, a little annoyed. She was busy god dammit.

"It's Gray," her eyes widened and she stumbled out of her tub almost tripping. _Why was he here?_ "Natsu said you weren't feeling well and couldn't come to the mission and we got worried."

She ripped the door open and he looked shocked while taking a step back. "Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you guys," she smiled at him and he scratched his head.

"So are you going to be okay?" He asked her, not exactly sure what the problem was. _She looked healthy?_

"I will be," she said quietly and looked away, the father of her child was standing in front of her, but the problem was that he was in a relationship with another woman."Um, Gray listen," he looked at her curious and gave her all the attention he had. "Do you remember the mission we had a few months ago? Four to be more precise?" she asked while mustering up the courage to tell him.

"Oh yeah, the cult that sacrificed children, they were horrible people. Why?" he shuddered from remembering the mangled bodies of innocent children and he saw Lucy do the same.

"Do you remember that you touched a ring?" She asked, her confidence escaping with every passing second.

"Yeah, we were collecting the objects in their lair, some were cursed apparently, not that anything happened. Why was there something special about that ring?" He asked trying to remember the event. Lucy sighed, so he didn't remember.

"The ring had a curse Gray," _you just don't remember it._

"Shit? What does it do? Cause recently I feel that the temperature is really warm and sometimes-" he continued to babble and Lucy giggled which eventually turned into a laugh the more he continued to talk.

"Calm down, the effects of the curse already passed. I just asked about it because I wanted to research it," she explained while she decided at the same time not to tell him. She couldn't do that.

"Is that so? Sorry, I don't have it. The council took it," he looked embarrassed and Lucy smiled.

"It's fine, I wanted to ask just in case," she sat down on her couch.

"Alright, anyway I have to go. I promised Juvia I would take her out to dinner before we go on this mission, we're leaving tonight. Are you sure you can't come?" He asked her unsure how she was sick, and why she couldn't come with them.

Lucy smiled sadly, "I'm fine really, but I can't come with you guys. I would only be in the way right now."

She saw him leave and then she was alone in her apartment. It only took a few seconds until she felt the tingle that she always did when she used her magic. "What do you want Loke?" she asked and without turning around walked to the kitchen to get something to eat.

"Are you not going to tell him?" he asked and followed her, he sat down by the kitchen table.

Lucy looked at him and shrugged, he already knew the answer, why did he have to ask?

"He has a right to know," she saw his knuckles turn white and raised an eyebrow at his behavior. Nevertheless, she ignored him and his comment while she cooked breakfast. Lately, she'd been craving different kind of foods and been unusually picky, now it made sense why.

It wasn't until she sat down and put both her and Loke's plate down that she decided to continue the conversation. "Perhaps, if it had been a normal situation," she took a bite from her eggs and noticed that she forgot to salt them.

"It doesn't matter what sort of situation it was, he still has the right to know!" he was almost screaming at her and she almost felt guilty knowing he was right to a certain degree.

"Loke, he's in a happy relationship and they are in love. Besides that, he doesn't even remember sleeping with me, who knows? What if he thinks I'm lying? What if he thinks I'm trying to use him because the real father won't take responsibility. I also would've been suspicious if someone came one day and told me that I was going to become a parent with no memory of it. There are endless possibilities of how it could turn out and I'd rather we still be friends like now than enemies," Lucy explained calmly and took a bacon bite this time, she saw Loke with his mouth open trying to say something but eventually just sat down.

"It doesn't have to end up that way, he might believe you and want to be in his child's life," Loke somewhat mumbled but it was still loud enough for her to hear, she smiled, if only that was true.

"Loke, until a few hours ago, I myself didn't even know I had sex with him. To be honest, I still think it was a strange and crazy dream but I have proof and that's the only reason why I believe it happened, he doesn't," she brought her coffee to her lips and then stopped, she looked at it and sighed, coffee wasn't good for her anymore. Loke didn't say anything more and they ate the rest of the breakfast in silence.

"What are you going to do then? Children cost a lot of money to raise and you can't exactly do missions while you're in this condition," he asked after he finished his food, honestly, she hadn't thought about it, she just found out she was pregnant, she didn't have any plans as of now, she had considered some options but nothing was set in stone.

"I don't know yet, but I promise when I do, you'll be the first to know," she answered honestly and Loke nodded and left to go to his own realm.

Now that she was alone she regretted it, she wanted some company. She decided to go see Levy, she always had a positive attitude that rubbed off on people and right now she needed someone like that. Unfortunately, when she arrived to the guild she found out that Levy and her team had already left for a mission and she literally felt like crying, stupid pregnancy hormones.

Although Levy was one of her best friends, she wasn't the only one, she had other people to talk to, so she settled on sitting down at the bar to talk to Mira.

Mira was a love fanatic, but she was still someone you could talk to when needed. However, this was not the place to talk about pregnancies, especially not this one so she decided to just order something sweet instead, a milkshake, and talked a little about everything with Mira and everything felt fine until they reached a topic that made her blood run cold; Gray.

"I just love how happy they are together. I can't wait until they have babies, can you imagine how cute they'll be?" Mira asked and squealed. Lucy felt sick to her stomach wondering if she should say that a child of Grays will be born soon, but decided against it and smiled instead agreeing. "While we're on the subject on children and relationships... When are you and Natsu going to start going out?" Mira asked Lucy in the middle of a sip so she swallowed wrongly and started a coughing fit surprised by the question.

"Me and Natsu? How about never? I'm fairly certain your sister is in love with him, not me, so focus your attention on that instead!" Lucy almost screamed but remembered to lower her voice, Lisanna wouldn't probably be that happy if she found out that Lucy had screamed out who her crush was in the whole guild.

It did cause Mira to widen her eyes and bring her hands up to her mouth in disbelief and Lucy grinned and nodded confirming whatever question she might have had. She started squealed even louder than before and gave Lucy a free milkshake as thanks for the revelation before she disappeared, probably to go and find her sister. Lucy laughed a little at her, she was so occupied with other people's love life that she didn't pay any attention to her own.

It took another twenty minutes before she came back all giddy and happy and by then the milkshake was long gone and Lucy was reading from a book that she found laying around. No doubt it was Levy's. She put it down though, and raised both her eyebrows at Mira as if to ask a question without words. Mira nodded and hugged Lucy from the counter happy that she told her because now she could help her little sister pursue the love that she had. Lucy distantly wondered if it might have been a bad idea to tell her.

"Oh, Lucy, I'm so sorry. You were right! Lisanna is head over heals in love with Natsu apparently! I can't believe I missed that, it somewhat hurts my pride as a matchmaker," she explained before she handed Lucy a strawberry cheesecake on the house, again. Apparently this piece of news was good enough so that Lucy could eat there for free for the rest of the day and she laughed.

"But what are we going to do with you?" Mira looked troubled and Lucy didn't understand about what.

"What about me?" Lucy asked in between bites, she was really craving sweet food today.

"Who are you going to end up with? I always thought it would be Natsu but now.." Lucy understood what she meant, and she felt like crying but instead she laughed with the irony of it all, she was pregnant, she already skipped the parts where she had to find a man.

"What's so funny?" Mira asked while picking up a glass starting to clean it. "You, you're so focused on everybody else's love life that you haven't even considered your own." Lucy lied smoothly and she saw the blush on Mira's face which confused her before she smiled.

"Oh, so you do have someone in mind, who is it? Laxus? Freed? Or maybe it's someone unexpected, like Bickslow?" Lucy laughed when Mira blushed harder when each name was said until two hands were on her mouth shushing her up, she raised an eyebrow at the strange behavior, was she right in one of her guesses?

"Not so loud!" Mira whispered, Lucy nodded and the hand were removed from her mouth so she giggled a little.

"You don't have to tell me, but was I right in one of my guesses?" Lucy asked and drummed her fingers on the counter.

"Maybe, no, I mean yes. Just shut up," Mira said and walked into the kitchen gesturing for Lucy to follow, which she happily did.

"Promise not to tell anyone," Mira asked as she moved to the kitchen counter taking out ingredients for baking.

"OK, I won't." Lucy promised and sat down across from her watching her move around.

"It's Freed." She whispered slowly and Lucy almost missed it.

"Thought so, and? Are you planning on doing anything?" Lucy asked while watching her bake, Mira blushed harder and shook her head.

"It's a one sided love, besides I wouldn't know what to do." Mira answered and Lucy almost laughed out loud but regained her composure, barely. The Matchmaking Queen didn't know how to fix her own own love life? That was rich and had so much irony in it that it could burst.

"Anyway what are you baking?" Lucy asked, trying to change the subject and she noticed that Mira appreciated it.

"Gray ordered a chocolate cake for his and Juvia's anniversary, isn't he the cutest?" Mira was too preoccupied to notice the sad look on Lucy's face. They were back to a topic she was trying to avoid.

"I think he's going to propose! I can't wait for the wedding! Oh, I can already picture the theme, ice and water! Imagine their children! They'll inherit strong powers as well, on top of being beautiful!" Mira was babbling and it was at that split moment when Lucy heard the plans of the future that she realized, she couldn't stay here. She had to leave, they had a future, Gray and Juvia. She didn't have any part of that future, hell she wasn't even in the equation.

She stood up abruptly, startling Mira. Lucy had made up her mind. She had to leave, before he came back, if she saw him again she might crack and change her mind because at the end of the day she loved him, she loved him so much it hurt. Mira wasn't the only one with an unrequited love, but unlike Lucy's love, Freed was still single. Mira still had a chance.

"Thank you Mira, I know what to do now," she ran out of the kitchen in a hurry to find the master. Mira looked at her retreating form and tilted her head confused, "You're welcome?" she answered knowing that Lucy was already long gone, she shrugged and continued to bake. She would find out eventually.

Lucy noticed right away that Master Makarov wasn't in the guild so she went to his office and knocked, she could hear sounds and knew she was in there but she waited patiently. After a while the door opened and she saw the master sitting on his desk looking over some papers with a beer in his hands and she sweat dropped; that was so like him.

When Master Makarov looked up he couldn't have been happier, he was bored in there and he needed a change of pace. He watched Lucy enter and gestured to the chair in front of him. "What can I do for you Lucy?" He asked and sipped from his beer. He saw how she became uncomfortable and wondered what for.

"I want to leave Fairy Tail," Lucy answered determined, and the beer dripped from his mouth because he forgot to close it out of shock. Out of all the things he could have expected that was not one of them.

"Why? Is something wrong? Did anything happen?" Makarov asked hurriedly, trying to come to grips with what was going on.

"Nothing happened," Lucy blatantly lied and hoped that the master wouldn't notice, he didn't but he did become suspicious.

"Then why?" He asked and Lucy squirmed under his gaze wondering how she was going to get herself out of this situation.

"It's simply time. I've always wanted to become a magician since I was a child, just like my mother before me. It was never supposed to be my life, I have obligations at home and I need to fulfill them as the heiress of the Heartfilia Konzern, that was always the plan. All I wanted was a few years of freedom and I've gotten them, I've gained a second family here, but I'm a Lady and we always come true to our words." Lucy started speaking slowly and before she knew it she was rambling, talking about things she never told anyone, it was true that she had only planned on being a magician a few years but she had also meant to break the promise to herself of returning to the mansion because she loved it here.

Makarov listened calmly and his heart almost broke the more she spoke. It was true that when she first arrived she wasn't sure of how long she was going to stay but he thought she had changed her mind and would stay forever just like the rest of his children. "Don't you think you should wait until after your team returns before you make such a huge decision?" He asked trying to change her mind, if only a little bit. Maybe her teammates could change her mind.

"It's exactly because they aren't here that I want to do this, I know myself Master, if I meet them I'll change my mind," Lucy smiled sadly explaining exactly the thing he was hoping for, she knew it.

Makarov gave up and sighed, trouble brooding in his heart, he reluctantly gave up. "Alright, but remember that this will always be your family and if you ever need help you can always come back to us," he hopped off his desk and searched for something that he hated to use, the tattoo remover, it broke his heart so see her hand spotless without a Fairy Tail mark on it and he could see that she felt the same way. "We'll hold the ceremony leave tomorrow, and have a last party for you" Makarov smiled sadly, it was unusual to send of his own children, they were usually the ones that never came back which was probably worse. Lucy nodded and left after a quick bow.

She ran home while she still had the courage to do so, and she called for Loke while she ran, asking him if he could come when she got home. She wanted to keep her promise, although the one who had first heard her plans was Master Makarov. On her way to her apartment she felt the familiar tingle and when she entered her house Loke was already there looking madder than hell.

"I can't believe you could be this reckless! At least have the decency to say goodbye to them!" Loke was practically screaming at her and she felt the tears gather in her eyes, but she also felt anger and the need to defend herself.

"Who are you to talk?! You were also planning on leaving and dying all by yourself without anybody ever being able to know what happened to you! I was the one who saved you Loke, if it weren't for me you wouldn't even be standing here giving me lip for doing the same thing you tried to do years ago!" Lucy screamed back the hormones kicking in and she saw how Loke's lips drew into a line and he looked away knowing she was right. So he decided to calm down and take a few breaths and try to brush out his uneven hair.

"It's because I made that decision that I know, I wanted to be saved, why do you think I came to you? You want the same thing except unlike me you're stronger, you won't reach out to someone like I did..."

He finished the sentence and by then Lucy was crying rivers, she didn't know if it was for him or for her but she went and gave him a hug and they stood like that for a while relishing in the comfort of each other's embrace trying to seek comfort, at least from her side. "Loke, I know. However your situation was more severe, you were dying. I'm simply pregnant," she laughed through the tears and she heard him chuckle. She knew she going to be alright as long as she had him, except…

"Listen Loke..." she stopped trying to catch his attention, he looked at her giving his full attention to her. "You're a combat spirit, are you sure you want to follow me? I'm sure that I could find someone that would want to take you over and you could have the life you deserv-" A hand clamped her mouth and she saw the anger in his face.

"I can't even believe you would think so low of me to believe that I would abandon my owners so easily, spirits makes contracts for life!" He was growling at the end and Lucy could see the lion inside of him trying to come out. She nodded and smiled underneath his palm, happy that she wouldn't lose him.

"Thank you, Loke," she kissed his cheek when she was released and smiled, she truly loved him like the most dearest family member. He was family. "Go home for now, I'll call you again tomorrow." Lucy said already planning to spend the rest of the evening packing the necessities.

He reluctantly nodded and left with a poof, Lucy didn't waste any time and summoned Virgo. "Time for punishment?" Was the first words that came through and Lucy smiled at her.

"No, I need your help. Do you think you could help me pack and then maybe take my belongings with you to the Celestial Realm until I arrive at the mansion?" Lucy asked, unsure if it was possible. She saw Virgo's eyes soften before she bowed, in all reality it wasn't allowed without permission from the Spirit King but just this time she would bend the rules for her friend.

"Understood." was the answer Lucy got before Virgo started working at such a high speed that Lucy finally understood why she always wore the maid uniform. It didn't do her justice, she was far better than any maids Lucy had had at the mansion.

With Virgo working Lucy didn't have much to do, so she settled on taking care of her most important things, her letters to her mother that served like a diary, her novel and anything else that had an sentimental value.

This was hard, she didn't want to change her life, she wanted to be here with everyone else laughing, crying and grow stronger but she knew if she saw him happy she would break into a thousand pieces, and they would question who the father is and she wouldn't have the heart to tell and they would think the worst of her. The tears were flowing by now, this was so unfair. Why did she have to give up her whole life because of one stupid curse? Couldn't it have been another kind, like a transform the body or maybe even removing her senses?

No, this was better, although unfair, nobody was hurt, except perhaps her feelings, but they had taken a beaten ever since she was a child.

By the time she looked up, Virgo was finished and her apartment was empty, even the boxes were gone that she had seen being filled with her stuff no doubt in the Celestial Realm waiting for her. All that was left was her suitcase with her most important stuff and a change of clothes.

"Was that everything, Princess?" Virgo asked and when Lucy nodded she disappeared with a poof and she was alone once again. She decided that instead of wallowing in self pity she would go to sleep and wait for tomorrow.

Although she had a million worries in her life, she still fell asleep like a log when her head hit the pillow, it was an emotional day yesterday and her body was not her own anymore so perhaps that was the reason she was out like a light.

The next day she woke up early and didn't have anything to do so she went about fixing things, giving up her apartment, buying a train ticket, and then simply walking around Magnolia reminiscing about her time there waiting for the party to start.

Twenty minutes until the party she started walking home so that she could get her suitcase and then head to the guild, she was planning on leaving directly after. The guild looked exactly the same from the outside but she knew from the noise that they were all creating havoc inside, she left her suitcase outside the double doors knowing no one would take it, they were the strongest guild around, she pitied the poor soul who would try. When she entered it was rowdy just as expected, she ignored them all and sat down by the bar waiting for Mira to come around, she saw that most of the people here were drunk including Master Makarov and she smiled, she was going to miss this.

"Hey Lucy, what can I get you?" Mira asked as she walked around her handing out drinks and occasionally food.

"How about a glass of water?" Lucy asked and Mira nodded handing it to her right away from the pre-filled glasses that she had waiting.

"So do you know what's going on? Master just told us we were having a party but never explained why, I saw you come out of his office after you ran out of the kitchen," Mira questioned and leaned closer to Lucy to hear her better, Lucy gripped the glass a little bit harder and smiled sadly, oh she knew.

"Yeah, it has to do with me actually," Lucy answered and Mira tilted her head unsure what she mean but she was too busy to push the subject, she would find out eventually she always did.

Lucy sat alone the rest of the night occasionally greeting someone, she enjoyed this, savoring the image of her second family. She watched all the happiness and before she knew tears were flowing without her consent, and she was crying again. To heck with it, she didn't have to sit here and feel sorry for herself, she was going to enjoy the last time she had with her family for at least a while.

For the rest of the night she was running around having fun with everybody, she played cards with Cana, laughed with Alzec, heck she even arm wrestled with Laxus, but in his defense, Cana had gotten him so drunk he probably didn't even know what his name was, she even approached Freed, but to be honest she was maybe trying to get some information out of him and as it turned out, Mira didn't have a one sided love, it was mutual.

All in all, she was having fun and prayed the night would never end but like in every fairy tale everything has to come to an end. Right around this time everybody was so drunk that they were passed out on all sides of the guild floor and she decided it was time to leave, she left quietly hoping to not disturb anyone, and she succeeded. By the time she closed the doors behind her she was crying rivers, but she took her bag and started walking towards the train station but before she stopped in front of the guild wanting one last look so that she could engrave it in her mind. She dried her tears and smiled before turning away to leave.

When her back was turned she saw how everything lit up in front of her but the light wasn't coming from the front, it was coming from behind her. A loud voice boomed through the night and she immediately brought her hands to her face whimpering.

"WHENEVER A MAGE WISHES TO LEAVE FAIRY TAIL, THEY ARE FREE TO DO SO, HOWEVER THEY ARE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW THESE THREE RULES!" Lucy dropped to her knees her legs shaking so badly that they weren't able to hold her up anymore.

"FIRST! YOU MUST NEVER REVEAL SENSITIVE INFORMATION ABOUT FAIRY TAIL TO OTHERS FOR AS LONG AS YOU LIVE!" There was a pause and Lucy started crying again, despite the fact that she had been crying for nonstop these last days.

"SECONDLY! YOU MUST NEVER USE FORMER CONTACTS MET THROUGH YOUR BEING IN THE GUILD FOR PERSONAL GAIN!" Everybody was there, the whole guild that had previously been sprawled out on the floor smiling at her.

"LASTLY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY! THOUGH OUR PATHS MAY HAVE DIVERGED, YOU MUST CONTINUE TO LIVE OUT YOUR LIFE WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT, YOU MUST NEVER CONSIDER YOUR OWN LIFE TO BE SOMETHING INSIGNIFICANT, AND YOU MUST NEVER FORGET ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS FOR AS LONG AS YOU LIVE!"

The last part rocked a part of her deep inside, all of Magnolia probably heard the boom of those words right now but for Lucy they left a mark in her heart and a promise. She saw Master Makaraov lift his hand and give her the Fairy Tail mark and everybody else immediately followed and if she didn't know better she felt herself cry even harder, if that was even possible, the tears mixed with laughter and she didn't know if she was happy or sad, perhaps both?

She stood up shakily and bowed deeply before giving the exact same mark back and then continued to walk away as the light of the guild faded and the tears in her eyes never stopped. She made it to the last train and sat there crying already missing everybody else, and even more she missed her friends that weren't even there to tell her goodbye.

Unknown to Lucy, after the light died down, the tears of several other guild members started flowing much like hers, Master Makarov included. Nobody really understood why she left but they would ask tomorrow, some of them didn't even know if this was real or if they were so drunk that they are dreaming, but drunk or not they would honor their guild mate.


	2. Confrontations & Answers

**So here is the next chapter, I'm sorry it took a while but I had my graduation this year and some stuff happened in school. Someone stole my last assignment and the teacher happened to go through hers first and I got ****plagiarism, even though I sent in mine three months ago and she three days ago I still had to prove it was mine. So yeah... **

**ALSO, THIS IS FOR THE PERSON WHO LEFT A COMMENT ANONYMOUSLY.**

**HOW DARE YOU TELL ME TO DO RESEARCH ON MY OWN STORY? REALLY?**  
**I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE A GUY OR A GIRL THAT HAS NEVER EXPERIENCED A PERIOD OR A PREGNANCY BUT HERE IS THE THING... ALL WOMEN IN THIS WORLD ARE DIFFERENT! SO THERE ARE WOMEN IN THIS WORLD THAT DON'T GET "NORMAL" PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS LIKE YOU ASSUMED. IT HAS TO DO WITH HORMONES IN THE BODY SO SOMETIMES THERE ARE WOMEN THAT DON'T GET THE THROW UPS OR THE HEADACHE AND SO ON. I WAS A FIRST HAND WITNESS TO THIS, MY AUNT DIDN'T GET A BUMP UNTIL SHE WAS IN HER FIFTH MONTH, AND SHE DIDN'T THROW UP OR GET THE MUNCHIES, AND NO WOMAN ON THIS GREEN EARTH HAS EVER THOUGHT THAT SHE WAS PREGNANT FROM A HEADACHE, IF THAT WAS THE CASE I WOULD'VE HAD OVER A 100 KIDS RUNNING AROUND.**

**SECONDLY YOU ALSO TOLD ME TO DO RESEARCH ABOUT RAPE, REALLY? WHY IN THE SEVEN HELLS DO I NEED TO DO THAT? A RAPE IS CLASSIFIED IN A WAY THAT INTERCOURSE HAPPENS WHEN A PARTY IS NOT ****CONSENSUAL, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN THEM, SO HOW CAN YOU ACCUSE ME OF NOT KNOWING ANYTHING WHEN YOU YOURSELF DOESN'T SEEM TO KNOW ANYTHING. **

**THIRDLY AND LASTLY... IT WAS THE FIRST FREAKING CHAPTER! YOU'RE TELLING ME TO ADD A FLASHBACK TO THE FIRST CHAPTER SO THAT "WE COULD HAVE A CLUE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED..." I'M GETTING TO IT! LIKE I SAID IT WAS THE FIRST CHAPTER! SO BEFORE YOU WRITE STUPID SHIT LIKE THAT, EITHER GIVE THE STORY A CHANCE OR DON'T COMMENT. HOW DARE YOU TRY TO TAKE CHARGE OF MY STORY?! I'M THE ONE WRITING NOT YOU SO SHUT THE FUCK UP, IF YOU DIDN'T LIKE THE STORY SO MUCH, WRITE YOUR OWN!**

**_To everybody else that actually read that, I don't mind critic and help when you get a writing block so please don't be discouraged to leave a comment because it really inspires me to write on. It's just that this person really pissed me off and even hid behind an anonymous name, I get if you don't like a story, I do but at least have the balls to stand behind your own words._**

Everybody else enjoy!

Chapter 2 - Confrontations &amp; Answers

It took about a month before the team came back to Fairy Tail, the quest had taken longer then they thought because the pack had gone into hiding and they had to locate each and every one of them. Fortunately nobody had gotten hurt, there were allot of cuts and bruises but over 50 % of them were self inflicted, they were exhausted and just wanted to come home to the guild and sit down for a glass with their friends and maybe cause a fight or two.

The moment they opened the guild doors the immediately noticed a difference in the air, the three of them had practically lived their whole lives at the guild so they could read the mood in a split second. Although it was somewhat rowdy, you could still notice a depressed feeling hiding in the corners. The second thing that told them something was definitively wrong was that instead of greeting them when they first opened the doors, they were greeted with eyes of pity and the guild members moved away from them.

Natsu was the first to react as he ran to the bar wondering what happened, Gray and Erza weren't far behind but unlike Natsu they calmly examined everybody and their behavior as they passed by them. "Mira! What's going on, did anything happen?" Natsu screamed loud enough for the whole guild to hear and they saddened a bit more.

"Natsu?" Mira was startled, she was in her own thoughts and didn't even notice them coming in. She saw Erza and Gray walking towards them and she sighed, couldn't they have been a little faster in coming home?

Natsu noticed that she didn't answer his question so he started looking around for Lucy, she would explain it. She always did, but he couldn't find her anywhere so he just assumed she was at home, he would have to go over there and ask. "I'm going to Lucy's, if you guys won't answer then she will!" Natsu screamed and headed for the doors eager to see his friend, he had missed her, they haven't seen each other in a month.

What Natsu didn't notice and what Gray and Erza did, was that most guild members flinched when Natsu mentioned Lucy and they looked alarmed when he said he was going over which confused them even more. "Natsu, wait!" Lisanna stood up and screamed trying to stop him before he left. "Alright, what's going on? Did anything happen to Lucy?" Erza asked and smashed her hand on the counter. Mira looked guilty bordering on wanting to cry.

"Lucy-san left" it was Juvia who answered as she approached Gray-sama whom she missed while he was away on his mission. She gave him a kiss when she had approached him but he didn't return it shocked by her words, left?  
"What do you mean she left?" he asked when he came out of the shock, she meant temporarily, they were gone for so long that she had to pay rent and took a mission on her own, right?

"She left the guild, for good." Although Juvia wasn't exactly happy that her Gray-sama showed this much attention for another girl, she would let it slide for just this time, after all she was his teammate.

"You're lying!" It was Natsu's outburst, he refused to believe it. Lucy loved it here.

"They're telling the truth, she left about a month ago, the day after you guys left for your mission" Mira said calmly and Lisanna nodded when they looked at her searching for confirmation. "WHY? How could Master allow this? Why didn't anybody stop her?" Erza asked baffled, she didn't understand why.

"We don't know, Lucy never explained it to us. The day she left we had a party and we thought we were having a normal party until the end when Master turned it into a farewell one and we gave her the ritual of discharge from the guild. Most of us were to drunk to even think about stopping her, we just honored the discharge." Mira answered as she had many times before, too curious guild members that had missed it and a couple of times to Levy because she refused to accept the truth.

"Where is the Master? He'll know" Erza asked as she moved towards his office nobody attempting to stop her everyone equally curious, Master had never answered them but if it was a team member maybe he would.

Erza banged loudly against the door waking Makarov up from his nap, he knew right away what it was about. There was only one topic anybody wanted to discuss with him these last few days and from the nonstop banging on his door he knew exactly who it was that was banging. Her teammates were back and they wanted answers, answers he wasn't sure he had.

Makarov scratched his head and jumped down from his chair and started walking, this time he would answer all questions, just this time. At least the questions he could answer.

"Master! Please open up!" Erza was growing more and more impatient with each knock and Makarov could hear it, he took pity for his door and wondered if it would still be standing there if he didn't stop her soon.

"Calm down, I'm coming" he muttered and the knocking stopped, he was a little shocked Erza heard that but payed it no mind otherwise. When he opened the door Erza was standing in front of him and anger was radiating from every pore in her body and he pitied the poor fools that ever angered her in a battle.

"What can I do for you, Erza?" he asked already knowing the answer. "You know very well why I'm here Master!" She screamed and he nodded while he started to walk down the stairs to the guild hall where they were all waiting for him. He saw eager eyes following his every move, hungry for the answers that he had kept from them for a whole month.  
He jumped up on the bar counter and sat down in lotus position not really sure where to start, everybody gathered around him curious while he was thinking. Eventually though he decided on the cold hard truth.

"As you all know, our guild mate Lucy has left Fairy Tail. She's not planning on coming back either, and before you all ask I'll answer your questions about why. The reason she gave me for the leave was that she never planned on staying in the first place, she simply wished to have a few years of freedom from her family." Makarov explained and everybody listened quietly but murmurs erupted the moment he had finished, everybody were talking so it was hard to catch a conversation but a voice boomed above them all.

"Bullshit!" Natsu screamed not believing even one word. "She hated her home, she even ran away from it. Why would she want to return now?" he asked and everybody agreed, she had mentioned something like that when they were under attack by Phantom. Makarov sighed, of course it would be Natsu who wouldn't be able to accept it.

"I can't give you answers I don't have, all I know is that she thought it was time to return." He answered and started leaving so that they could have a moment for themselves.  
"Then I'm going to go get her back!" Natus shouted, already thinking up a plan about how he would get her home. He saw Erza and Gray getting ready to follow but when they reached the doors they felt a surge of magic surround them and everyone within the guild shuddered feeling the anger within it.

"I don't mind that you lot are going to visit a friend, that's perfectly fine, however if you even have the slightest intention of bringing her back here against her will I will stop you and you will be punished! Everyone in this guild are allowed to make their own decisions! Leaving is one of them" Makarov didn't speak particularly loud but the power behind his voice made it sound like he was everywhere and he saw Natsu gulp.

"Lucy is nakama! She's a Fairy Tail member and belongs here!" Natsu screamed back somehow trying to get him to understand, Makarov's anger didn't recede but he did understand where Natsu was coming from so forced himself to calm down and return to his jolly own self.

"And she always will be, just because she isn't here with us, doesn't mean she isn't one of us. If she ever needs our help we will be there for her, right?" He asked and he could hear murmurs and then a loud cheer and he nodded satisfied that his guild had this many caring members, he smiled brightly thanks to his own thoughts but he didn't voice them.

Team Natsu stood glued to the door not really sure what they were going to do now, they wanted answers. They looked at each other unsure and Erza took charge like she always did, "We'll sleep on it and tomorrow when we've gathered our strength we'll decide." She didn't wait for their answers and just turned to leave to get some time alone with her own thoughts.

Gray also left to go find Juvia and spend some quality time with her before he went to bed, he had missed her.

Natsu wasn't sure what he was going to do so he decided to go to bed straight away so tomorrow could come faster and they could go to Lucy, but on the way to his house he decided to take a detour to Lucy's apartment and after he jumped in through the window he noticed the emptiness of it, reality was sinking in, she had really left. However instead of sadness Natsu only felt anger, how could she leave like that? Without even telling them? He left the apartment angry and betrayed.

* * *

While all of this was happening, Lucy had her own share of problems. She had yet to tell her father that she was pregnant, and even though their relationship had gotten better ever since the Phantom attack it didn't mean he would tolerate anything.

So like so many times in her childhood, she stood outside his office door afraid to knock. Lucy put her hands on her stomach feeling the small bump that had started to grow, fortunately it wasn't visible enough so that you could see it through the corset but it wouldn't take long. She felt weird to once again wear sophisticated dresses, willingly even, however that wouldn't last long she would have to start wearing looser dresses to accommodate the bump that would with no doubt start growing faster now.

Unlike her childhood memories, for the first time the door opened and her father stood at the other side inviting her in. There weren't allot of things that shocked Lucy when it came to her father but this was definitely one of them.

"You've been pacing outside of there for over an hour now, I figured that I should make whatever it is that you want easier by removing the nerve wrecking knock" Her father tried to joke but it was horribly done so, he was not a man that was accustomed to joking and he knew that. However for Lucy, although the joke was bad, it did help that her father had tried and that had made her laugh and ease the whole situation somewhat.

They sat there comfortably in silence, her father patiently waiting for her to speak and Lucy wondering from where she should begin, she was still not used to this new father that she had but if it was one thing that was universally true it was that you usually covered up bad news with good ones and she was was no exception.

"Father, I wish to take over the Heartfilia Konzern and would like to begin studies for it right away." Lucy started with hoping to make her father happy, he had always wished for his bloodline to take over the family business, he even wanted to marry her off to a creep to ensure that. Her father, unlike her expectations didn't show any happiness over the news but instead just leaned back and looked at her seriously.

Unknown to Lucy her father was flourishing on the inside with happiness, but it did make him wonder, his daughter had always been against taking over the family business so why had he changed her mind now? No matter the situation he could think of he didn't think that it would be the correct answer to his own question.

"Why?" Jude Heartilia asked after giving up on finding the answer on his own. He saw his daughter shift uncomfortably under his gaze which only raised more suspicions.

"Do you remember when you wanted to marry me to the Prince Sawalu of the Julenelle?" Lucy asked instead and her father frowned, that had not been his best decision in the long run, at the time he had only thought of the business and not his daughter, he nodded and Lucy got the hint to continue.

"One of the main reason for that was that you wanted me to give birth to an heir, correct?" Lucy asked her voice starting to waver, she was stalling and they both knew it but her father decided to humor her.

"Indeed, the other was to expand the business south, what of it?" he asked wanting her to get to the point. Lucy looked down towards her lap, the moment to say it had come, and she was scared.

"I fixed that part" Lucy said so quietly that Jude almost missed it, he might as well have because he didn't understand what she meant.

"Lucy, what are you trying to say?" He asked as he leaned forward with his elbows on his desk his mind trying to understand. "I'm pregnant" Lucy said fast, she wanted it over, like ripping a band aid.

When her father didn't say anything for a while she dared to take a glance at him and noticed he wasn't moving, barely breathing.

Although Jude's body was still as a statue his mind was moving at a faster speed trying to comprehend what his daughter had said, what baffled him wasn't the pregnancy itself, it was the circumstances around it. Who was the father? Where was he now? Why wasn't he here? Was she planning on keeping it? How far along was she? His thought were all mushed up but the two that stood out the most were, who the father was and was she planning on keeping it?

"Are you planning on keeping it?" He asked, needing at least one question answered, he didn't even want to think about the second one, what if she didn't know who the father was? She was a mage, they had a dangerous life. He stopped his thoughts from going further, he didn't want to use his power to hunt down each and every bastard that his daughter had come in contact with during a mission to find him, but he would. With or without her consent.

Lucy looked up shocked by how easy he accepted it, she smiled happily but the pregnancy hormones kicked in and she found herself crying again, but this time from happiness. Her father didn't hate her. She noticed him looking up towards her expecting something and remembered she hadn't answered his question.

"I am. Even if I wanted to, you know, I'm too far along" Lucy answered and her fathered nodded. "How far?" he asked curious. "I don't really know how far per say, I haven't seen a doctor yet but I know the day it was conceived so I know that it's about 5 months now." Lucy answered as honestly as she could. Her father sighed and took up a pen and started to write something while Lucy waited and started to wipe the tears that had left a path on her cheeks.

When he glued the letter together his attention was on her again, "Who's the father?" he asked hoping for the best but he saw his daughter flinch at the question and he started to fear the worst.

"He's a fellow guild mate, but he doesn't remember it, I barely remember it. It was the cause of a curse" Lucy explained and her father's eyes widened, of all the scenarios that his mind had conducted during his shock this was not one of them and he didn't know if he was happy that it wasn't worse or angry that they had been so careless.

He decided on the first part, this was better. At least his daughter wasn't tortured or worse dead. It did raise another question, but he was pretty sure he knew the anser to it. Why else would she be here and not there?

"Does the father know?" He asked while another thought popped up, what if he did know but didn't want anything to do with it? Jude decided right there and then that if that was the case he would make that mans life a living hell.

"No, I thought about telling him but I couldn't. He's happy and in a relationship with someone else and they are serious about each other. I couldn't destroy that, it wasn't my right" Lucy explained while she tugged at her dress uncomfortable with explaining this. Her father sighed and nodded accepting her decisions for now, he remembered when Layla was pregnant with her. It wasn't good to keep on pushing a pregnant woman, stress, sadness , anger, all kind of emotions could affect the child and he had gotten all the answer he needed, for now.

"Alright, I'll call a tutor for you and we'll have you begin taking over the konzern slowly." He stood up and took the letter with him. Lucy watched it and raised an eyebrow, had he already finished writing the letter for the tutor?

"It's for a doctor, I'll summon the best one here as fast as possible." He left her in his office in a hurry to get to his personal carrier so that he could deliver the letter.

What he didn't know and didn't see was the smile Lucy had given when she heard what the letter was for, instead of wanting to get the tutor he had prioritized the doctor instead and Lucy couldn't be happier, her father was truly a changed man.

* * *

The next day, went just as Natsu had expected, they were going to Lucy, if nothing else to at least ask her why she left so abruptly. For the first time he didn't mind going on a train, which he knew would make him sick, no he wanted to see his best friend and receive the answers that she never gave.

Erza and Gray were also sharing some similar feelings but unlike Natsu, they didn't feel like they should push her to get answers but that didn't mean that they didn't want them, it was a delicate situation and if that wasn't enough they both knew how Natsu's temper worked and someone had to be calm so that they could stop him.

As the train moved closer to Lucy they all felt nervous, everyone for different reasons but they had one thing in common, they were scared of what Lucy would say. Would she disregard all the time they spent together, would she get annoyed, would she understand and come back home with them?

Their minds were working and for once it was quiet around them, they were so engrossed with the possible scenarios that they almost missed their stop. If it wasn't for Erza that noticed the name of the station that coincidentally shared the same name as their friend they would've stayed on and God knows how far they would've went before they noticed.

Now that they were actually here they regained their composure and were on their way to the huge mansion that they had only seen once in their life, Natsu took the lead and during the walk nobody said anything, they were looking around to see the place were their friend had been raised, last time they didn't take the opportunity to do so.

They had forgotten how huge the Heartfilia Mansion was, they had been walking for 20 minutes and the main building wasn't anywhere in sight. Patience was a virtue that most of them didn't have, the last time they ran so it didn't take as long to get there. It took another 20 minutes before Natsu had had enough and released some fire out of frustration, which of course resulted in Gray hitting him.

"You wanna go stripper?" Natsu challenged wanting to release some pent up frustration and nervousness, Gray rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Unlike you I actually have some patience, I can handle a walk" he kept on walking ignoring Natsu's outburst.

"You're just scared that you'll lose" Natsu muttered and Gray heard him so he turned around and brought his hands in position. "I think you've overheated your own brain with those flames because you've become so stupid to think that you could beat me in this century"

"What was that Ice Princess?!" He gathered fire in his fists ready to attack, both of them looked at each other before jumping but before they could make contact two fists came down on them from no other then Erza.

"Calm down both of you, no fighting. Besides, look you can see the buildings" She pointed ahead of them and just as she said you could make out the shapes of building in the near horizon which only meant that the dreaded moment would soon come.

Unlike the walk to here, the walk to the mansion had been a lot shorter and when they had gotten to the front door they didn't know what to do from there, last time they had met Lucy on their way here, they never reached the house. So they did what all people do when faced with a door, they knocked and waited and unlike their expectations the front door didn't open, instead they noticed a man walking towards them.

"How may I help you?" He asked and clicked his heels before standing straight. "We are looking for Lucy" Erza answered and approached the man since he was clearly a butler of some sort to the house. The butler raised an eyebrow and glanced at their attire before coming to the conclusion that they must've been the Lady's friends from when she had run away. He nodded,

"Unfortunately, both Lady Lucy and the Master are busy at the moment, so if you could wait or perhaps come back another time I will make sure to tell them of your arrival" He finished and straightened up,

"We'll wait" Erza finished and he nodded, "Follow me then and I'll take you to the parlor and inform Lady Lucy of your arrival" He entered the house and without looking started walking knowing fully well that they would follow and if not then he would have less to worry about. He took them to a room that looked much like a living room and without saying anything left. Erza felt that perhaps he was being a little rude towards them but then ignored it, they had been the ones to show up unannounced. She sat down and saw Gray do the same but Natsu decided against it, he felt uncomfortable here and he didn't want to make himself at home, this wasn't home, their home was Fairy Tail.

As the minutes ticked by Gray felt more annoyed when he watched Natsu pace around the room and he felt tempted to kick his ass into the next century but reluctantly decided against it, all the stuff here looked expensive and he didn't know if he could afford to pay the money back even if he worked his whole life.

"Stop pacing and sit down" Erza spoke up equally annoyed and Gray was surprised, she was usually the patient one. "Don't wanna, we've been here for an hour soon, how much longer is it going to take?" Natsu grumbled and started pacing again.

It took another half hour before the butler appeared again and without saying anything had their full attention. "I am sorry to inform you that neither the master or the lady are at home and available for a meeting so if you would please return another time." He bowed a little and started walking but was forced to stop because of the hand on his shoulder. He turned slightly and saw an angered fire mage glaring at him with flames all around him.

"You're lying, I can smell it. Don't underestimate my nose, we are not leaving until we meet Lucy so you might as well take us to her or I'm going to beat you up so hard that you won't be able to walk anymore" Natsu growled but strangely enough he couldn't smell any fear on the butler which annoyed him.

"Sir, let go of me" he shook Natsu's hand of and brushed of his shoulder patting down the wrinkles in the fabric. "I regret to inform you that the master is not at home and Lady Lucy is not here either" the butler explained and Natsu glared at him, he didn't smell any lies but he was hiding something.

"Fine, we're leaving, Erza, Gray, let's go!" Natsu passed the butler with a glare and went straight to the door following their scent from earlier. Gray and Erza were uncertain if they should follow or not but knowing Natsu he wouldn't give up this easily and left quietly to follow him.

It wasn't until they were outside and away from that stifling house that they could breathe freely again. A few feet away Erza stopped walking and crossed her arms,

"Well? What's the plan Natsu?" she asked a little annoyed, sure they might have been forced to wait longer if they had stayed but eventually Lucy would have gotten home.  
Natsu glanced at her,

"The stupid butler wasn't lying, Lucy isn't at home, but she isn't away either. He changed his words after I told him I could smell lies. She's somewhere here, which means that she's probably outside somewhere" Erza looked shocked over the explanation, it was the first time she had seen Natsu think logically like that, he usually runs on impulses and instincts.

"So you used your brain for once, you should try that more often" Gray answered with a grin and saw Natsu's glare.

"And what's the plan now? You do know their grounds are ridiculously large, she could be anywhere, and even if we had a whole day we wouldn't be able to finish searching everything" This time it was Gray that used his brain and asked a logical question and Erza wondered what happened.

"I haven't gotten that far" Natsu muttered a little annoyed that the Ice Princess had made a hole in his plan. He only got madder when said Ice Princess started laughing and pointing at him. So he threw a punch and took a hold of Happy who flew up in the air with him,

"I'll start searching from the air from the air and you guys take the ground close to the mansion" Natsu yelled perfectly happy and content with a angry Gray that was screaming at him to get down and what a coward he was for throwing a punch and running away but quite frankly Natsu couldn't care less, he just released some pent up stress that he had.

"Calm down Gray, he can't hear you anymore." Erza put her hand on his shoulder and he calmed instantly. He sighed and scratched his head, and promised himself that he would return the punch later, finding Lucy was more important.

"How should we do this? Split up to cover more grounds or stick together?" Erza asked already planning what to do for both options, her minds spinning and calculating. Gray thought about it for about a millisecond,

"Let's split up, it's not like there's a need to stick together. There is nothing dangerous anywhere here, just send a blast of magic up in the air if you find her, k?" Gray said and started walking ahead choosing a direction at random. Erza didn't waste any time and walked in the opposite way determined to find her friend.

Up in the air Natsu had underestimated the size of the place and was flying around in circles not sure where to start, he couldn't catch her scent either since they were too far up and he was starting to get annoyed. Happy sensed that and took action and flew them the furthest away from the mansion so that they could circle their way back in, that way they would cover all grounds and definitively find Lucy.

Erza had found herself in the forest and was starting to wonder if Lucy would even be here or not but decided to push on so that they didn't miss anything because of her. The thought of reequipping into a dress that enchanted her so that she could find Lucy faster occurred but she decided against it, she didn't want to be perceived as a threat, but Gray and Natsu might take that as a sign that she had found Lucy.

Gray on the other hand was having far more luck than both of them, he was standing in the garden face to face with Loke neither saying anything, both were shocked the other one was there and they didn't know where to go from there.

It was Loke that came out of the shock first and gathered his composure, Lucy was sitting a few feet away reading a book and he was pretty sure she didn't want to meet Gray right now. First priority was to get him away from here.

"What are you doing here Gray?" He asked while walking towards him. The question brought Gray out of his shock, but then the shock turned into anger.

"Me? What the hell are you doing here?!" Gray screamed at him frustrated. He saw Loke raise an eyebrow at him and push his glasses closer. "That's a stupid question, my master lives here" Loke stopped in front of Gray and waited for the next outburst but it never came.

Gray had decided to calm down and take a deep breath to asses the situation. "That's not what I meant and you know it." He muttered annoyed that Loke had dodged the question. If Loke was here then Lucy was somewhere nearby and he should be talking to her not him, he'll follow whatever decision she makes anyway and judging from the way Loke came from she should be behind those bushes.

Gray decided to not blame Loke, he didn't make the choice to leave, it was Lucy's decision and it was her he needed to find and also show Erza and Natsu where they were. So he patted Lokes shoulder while passing him, to let him know he didn't blame him, but what he didn't expect was the hand that stopped him from advancing. "What?" Gray looked at the hand on his shoulder questioning it.

"I can't let you go over there" Loke said very seriously, Gray's appearance here wasn't exactly unexpected. Both him and Lucy knew that team Natsu would come here one day but right now Lucy wouldn't want to meet them, she was beginning to show and they would notice and question it.

"The hell you can't, she's over there so of course I'm also going." Gray pushed Loke's hand off of him and continued to walk further so Loke did the only thing he could think of, stall. He punched Gray hard enough to send him flying in a different direction and sent a message to Virgo to give Lucy some clothes that could hide the bump, he knew he couldn't fight Gray, they were friends but before that he needed to protect Lucy's wish.

Gray had problem registering what just happened, never in his whole life had he thought that one of his best friends would hit him. When Gray finally understood that he had gotten hit his rivalry kicked and he quickly stood up to return the punch. Neither of them gave a serious punch, but slowly they became ruffled and disheveled and out of energy.

It was 10 minutes later that Lucy came running covered by a shawl wrapped around her shoulders, successfully hiding her stomach and Loke smiled happy that Virgo got his message. "What are you two doing? Are you crazy?!" Lucy screamed the moment she saw them both looking all beaten up, she immediately noticed that they weren't seriously damaged, it was a simple brawl and she relaxed a little.

Gray looked behind him the moment he saw Lucy and entered a kind of shock, this wasn't the Lucy he knew. This was a stranger with the same voice, the Lucy he knew wore simple clothes and dressed comfortably but the woman in front of him wore an expensive dress and jewelry he was sure he could probably never afford.

"Lucy?" He asked unsure if this was even her. Lucy looked at him when she heard her name and her heart cringed, she didn't want to meet him in this condition where her emotions were unstable, so she turned from him and went to Loke to help him and see if there was any damage that she couldn't see from where she stood.

Gray watched as she passed him and considered grabbing a hold of her but decided against it when their eyes met and he turned away confused as to why his heart had beaten a little harder. He put a hand on his chest questioning it, and when he turned to watch her again he saw her help Loke clean up and he wondered if he needed to see a doctor because his heart started beating harder against his ribs, and it wasn't until saw that Loke was watching him with an raised eyebrow, that he looked away and remembered he had to give his position to Erza and Natsu.

So he stepped away a little bit never taking his eyes of them to make sure they didn't leave and fired of some Ice magic in the air in the form of a bird to show them where they were. When he looked down he saw that both of them were observing the bird wondering why he had done that.

"I'm telling Natsu and Erza where we are so they can come over here." he explained and cracked his neck not sure where to continue to from here, he didn't want to ask the obvious question until the others got here, but there wasn't really anything else to talk about.

Lucy and Loke looked at each other and nodded, they knew that Gray hadn't come by himself and accepted that they wanted answers, answers neither Lucy nor Loke wanted to give right now.

Gray had noticed the exchange and also observed the intimacy between them, it was like they had an impenetrable bond that no one could disturb and he wondered what had happened during the month they were away. Granted Loke was her spirit and they had always been close but this was different, it felt overpowering to be in their presence because he felt like he didn't belong and was a nuisance.

"So, um. How have you been doing?" Gray asked awkwardly trying to make small talk. Lucy looked at him, her heart causing her pain so she looked down to try and soothe it, "Fine. You?" she said quietly but enough for Gray to hear.

"Good, the mission took a bit longer then expected, otherwise we would've been here sooner." Gray said, slightly grazing the subject that was hanging in the air. Lucy nodded, she figured as much.

"Lucy do you want to go sit down?" Loke asked giving her his full attention, stress wasn't good for the baby and soon there would be lots of it. It might be better for her to sit down during the confrontation. Lucy was about to decline when she saw the look Loke was giving her so she agreed instead.

Loke took her hand and walked her back to the garden where she had been previously at and he noticed Gray following them from the corner of his eyes, but he didn't expect anything else.

Gray was watching them as they walked together and thought they actually looked good together, Loke was a perfect gentleman and guided all the way to the chair, which he also pulled out for her so she could sit down. He then took the seat next to her and poured them both a cup of tea and they calmly sat without saying anything and drank.

Loke really fitted in for this high society world while all he could do was to stand at the side while watching them unsure how to act among nobility. It was at that moment that he realized for the first time that Lucy was from noble birth and it left a sour taste in his mouth.

"Do you want a cup?" Loke asked and pointed to the chair in front of him. Gray wondered if he should sit down or not, the grounds here were after all ridiculously huge and he didn't know how far Erza or Natsu had gotten when he sent the signal or how long it would take for them to come back. So he decided to at least take the chair but pass on the tea.

"So, how long do you think it would take for them to get here?" Loke asked not at all avoiding the subject, he wasn't one to beat around the bush, it was better to get it over with,

"I don't know, it would depend on how far they got. We were planning on searching the whole grounds until we found you" Gray answered and paused when he saw Lucy's smile wondering why she had smiled,

"Nevertheless I'm sure they are running over here as fast as they can right now" he didn't say anything else but he saw Loke nod before he took a sip of his tea. It was during this time that Gray observed Lucy, he noticed that she wasn't as happy or talkative like she had been back in the guild and wondered why.

While Gray was observing Lucy was doing everything in her power not to look at him, it was already hard enough that he was here and this close, she didn't want to add more heartache then she already had so she stayed quiet.

It took another 10 minutes of Gray's observing, Lucy's avoidance and Loke's nonchalance before they heard Natsu's and Erza's screams closing in. It was then that Lucy looked up for the first time determination shimmering in her eyes.

Erza and Natsu arrived at the same time, Natsu dropped from the air 2 meters away from the table and Erza came rushing in through the opening. Both of them assessed the situation and a silence appeared, nobody sure how they would start the conversation.

Happy decided he had enough of observing and flew towards Lucy prepared to hug her like usual. He purred her name on the way in his normal manner with his paws stretched out prepared to fly into her, but he wasn't prepared for the hand that stopped him and when he looked up he saw that it belonged to Loke and became confused.

Loke was beginning to get annoyed that he had to stop everything that was headed to Lucy, had these people never heard of boundaries?

Even though he had those thoughts he continued to sip his tea completely indifferent to what happened or the stares he was receiving. Erza was the first to ignore what happen and focus on Lucy.

Erza had also been shocked to see her friend in this state, she had completely forgotten that Lucy was a lady, but in the end it was merely clothes, her friend was still there.

"Lucy," she said strongly to get her attention. She got everyone's attention the moment the name left her mouth and Lucy prepared herself for whatever she might say.

"I won't question your decision to leave, it's your life, you should have the right to do what you want." Erza began while looking Lucy directly in the eyes to show that she meant what she was saying. Natsu glanced at both Erza and Lucy disagreeing with it but bit his tounge, he was going to get it all out later.

"But I do think that you owe us a explanation, or are we not worthy of that at least?" Erza asked and sat down in a chair. Natsu followed quietly wanting to hear her side of the story before doing anything, not that it mattered, she was their team mate and he was going to bring her back no matter what. She didn't belong here.

"Of course you are and of course you do." Lucy said softly smiling sadly at Erza. They were worth so much more but right now she couldn't give that to them, maybe someday but not today.

"I don't really know where to start, but I suppose I should start by telling you that circumstances appeared which made me return here. Although the decision to return was on impulse I do believe that it was the right one. I do think that I should've waited for you and then informed you about it, but I know myself and you guys. If I had told you, either I would have lost the courage to do it or you would've stopped me" Lucy explained and knitted her fingers together in front of her face thinking carefully about what she was saying, and analyzing every word that came out.

"You're damn right we would have!" Natsu stood up and slammed his hands on the small garden table startling Lucy, Loke gave him a glare but didn't say anything, he merely picked up the teapot that fell to stop the flow. Most of the contents were dripping down the table on to the grass but at least he could stop the rest from spilling out. Loke's calm reaction soothed Lucy a little bit and she regained her composure and actually turned a little angry.

"Calm yourself Natsu, I happen to like this garden and would appreciate it if you didn't burn it down." Lucy calmly said and took up her handkerchief and gave it to Loke so that he could wipe his hands from the tea that came from fixing everything on the table. Loke nodded and accepted it graciously, he wiped his hands and Natsu got angrier by the minute at both of their calm demeanor.

"Right there we have a problem, this isn't the Lucy we know. The REAL Lucy would've hit me, screamed at me and finally given up and laughed. Not sit there and calmly drink tea." Natsu harshly whispered but it sounded like another loud outburst and both Gray and Erza gave him sympathetic looks, they understood him and they felt the same.

Lucy didn't budge, in her heart she agreed with him, she was that Lucy and she herself missed that freedom, BUT that wasn't the whole Lucy, merely a side of her, this was the other one. Both those sides, like a coin that made her the person that she is today.

"What exactly gives you the right to decide that the Lucy that you got to know during those years was the real one?" Lucy paused and saw the hurt in Natsu's eyes and she felt a bit guilty, "There are always two side of every coin and this is the other one of me, I'm not saying that the Lucy you know was a fake one but that wasn't all of me. The one sitting here is, here I don't have to hide this side of me like I did over there, right Natsu? Wasn't I strange at some times, like you and Happy loved to point out? At those times I restricted myself and felt weird for being who I am." Lucy stopped and she saw the hesitation in all of them because they knew it was the truth.

This time it was Erza that reacted and stood up next to Natsu, she felt offended that one of her best friends wasn't being herself with them. She put a hand on Natsu shoulder and he followed her guiding and sat down again.

"I, no, we never wanted you to feel that way. That you felt the need to hide who you really are is absurd. and outrageous" Erza finished frustrated thinking back on all the times Lucy did something that they had thought was weird or when she said something and they had laughed.

"Perhaps, but a lady does not belong in a guild. Sitting straight, eating with manners, dressed properly or talking to nicely was considered weird and I know that and understand it, but I was raised that way and it's a part of who I am" Lucy explained and for the first time it dawned on them that Lucy had held back on being herself with them on several occasion and they had even laughed at her.  
"If you had told us, I'm sure we would've changed or let you be yourself" Erza said and Lucy had to smile at that.

"Perhaps, but I don't think that I should have to ask for permission to be myself" Lucy said.

"That's not what I meant! I simply meant that if you had said something we could have done something!" Erza felt embarrassed for the words she had said, Lucy intercepted that in a way she never meant.

"It doesn't matter how you meant it now. I'm not going to return anymore" Lucy pushed the conversation in the right direction again after they had drifted off on to another topic.

"And why not? What exactly are these circumstances that made you leave?" Gray asked, he had been quiet and listened to everything that had been said, wanting them to get their frustrations out like he had with Loke. That had gotten everybody's attention, Lucy decided to not look at him which Gray noticed but didn't comment.

"That isn't something that you guys should know. It's for the Heartfilia ears only." Lucy explained, and Natsu grew angrier.

"See there is another thing that's changed about you, before you would've told us. Because you trusted us, you've only been away for a month and you're already losing faith in us. We're comrades, we trust each other with our lives, not withholding secrets from each other is what makes us comrades." Natsu said with a higher tone then usual.

Lucy smiled and laughed at that statement, that was true, she didn't keep any secrets from them.

"True, I never kept secrets from you and that's more than I can say about you guys. All three of you have secrets that you haven't told any of us and don't want to tell, right?" Lucy accused and she saw all three of them divert their eyes. Loke smiled behind his teacup, he knew she got them there. All human on this planet have some secrets that they don't want to tell anybody, that's exactly what makes them a secret.

"This is a secret that I don't wish to share, please respect that. I promise you that everything I do is for a reason, and one day you'll probably understand but for now please believe in me." Lucy almost begged wanting her friends to believe in her, but also to drop the subject. She didn't need this right now. Loke sympathized and put his hand on her shoulders for some emotional support.

The team watched Lucy and Loke carefully and noticed how important this was for Lucy and for Loke to act this calmly for a fighting spirit then it must truly be something important.

"How long?" Natsu asked harshly and turned his head angry that he had to compromise. "What?" Lucy asked and looked at Natsu unsure what he meant, nobody understood really, the sentence came as a surprise. Natsu sighed and scratched his head,

"How long is it going to take to fix whatever the circumstances you're talking about and for you to come home?" Natsu elaborated Lucy laughed and thought about it, 18 years? Maybe a few years less depending on what her child wanted to do in life.

"Honestly Natsu? I don't know, for all I know I might never return to Fairy Tail" Lucy absentmindedly looked at her hand to trace the tattoo that was no longer there. Natsu noticed the empty hand and he didn't like it. She was family and that tattoo belonged there like fish did in the water.

Lucy decided that it was enough, they had stayed out for hours discussing and talking and it was getting cold and she needed rest and food. So she stood up and Loke followed, he took her hand under his arm and started guiding her to the mansion. They stopped before they exited the garden,

"Are you going to stay the night?" Lucy asked already planning to tell the main butler to prepare 3 rooms for them.

They thought about it but right now none of them wanted to. Lucy had made it clear that she had no plans on returning anytime soon and they needed time to process this, the fact that one of their friends were moving on, so they wanted to go home and be surrounded by calming and cheerful people.

"We'll have to decline, we need to hurry back home and we need to catch the last train." Erza explained and stood up, Gray and Natsu following her. Lucy nodded before she smiled at them.

"Wherever you guys might be, always remember that the Heartfilia Konzern is at your service no matter what" Lucy said and started leaving for the house again not wanting any hugs or heartfelt goodbyes from them right now because she knew she would start crying. She had held the tear back almost the whole evening, besides if they hugged they would notice.

The group watched her and Loke walk away and they had no choice but to chuckle at her parting words.

"Those are our words Lucy! Fairy Tail will alway be there for you!" Erza screamed back to Lucy's retreating form.

It stopped Lucy and she smiled, and when she continued to walk she put up her hand to show the Fairy Tail mark with Loke following, she didn't look back but she knew their arms were up in the air showing the same thing. Team Natsu waited a few more minutes watching her walk away from them until they couldn't see her anymore. When they were certain she had left they looked at each other, no words were spoken but they turned and started walking to the train station to get home.


	3. Five Years Later

**So things you need to know for this chapter.**

**1\. I know that in the manga they learn and practice magic but over here magic is inherited, I know that it doesn't make any sense with all the lost magic and all that but haters gonna hate, it's fiction OK? So deal with it, everything here is fake anyway so why can't this be?**  
**  
****2\. You know that moment when you've heard a word so much that it looses it's meaning? Yeah that shit happened to me while writing this, the words too and to kind of lost meaning and I got confused where they should be put so there might be wrong with that in the story, and since I don't have a Beta y'all gonna have to deal with it and just tell me so I can fix it :D**

**Lastly, I really appreciate all the reviews, they really push me to continue writing and give me motivation! So yeah, some are really funny too, I can find myself laughing out loud sometimes. **

Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Chapter 3 - Five years later

Lyon absolutely loved the life he had today, he had a beautiful and caring wife, a child and another on the way. He could admit that sometimes he missed the dangerous missions that pumped his blood with adrenaline but he had promised his loving wife that he wouldn't endanger himself anymore after he came home one time bloody and bruised while she had stayed at home to take of their daughter, but it was a sacrifice he was willing to make, he didn't mind it.

It allowed him to spend more time with his family and he wouldn't trade it for anything else. Unfortunately this also meant that the missions he could take were scarce and few, and even fewer that payed good, he had taken some missions behinds his wife's back that involved some danger when there wasn't anything else available but that was a secret he would take to the grave before he told her and suffered her wrath.

This was one of those rare times where he had found a high paying job that in no way involved any danger and he couldn't be happier. Although he wasn't exactly sure what the job involved because it said on the flyer that he would be informed when he arrived he knew it would be a good month. He would be given accommodation by one of the richest families in the world and he couldn't wait for the food, despite the fact that he loved his wife to pieces, she was starting to wear him down a little bit and he needed a break.

The only problem that Lyon had right now though was that he as lost, and quite badly so. He had been going around in circles for a while now, and there weren't any people around to ask for directions either, even though it was such a large village, he absentmindedly wondered where they all were but figured at work like normal people. It didn't really faze him that he was lost, he knew how to get home and that was the most important thing, not that he would just leave, he had to uphold the pride of his guild after all.

He decided that the best course of action was to stop walking around in circles and just wait until someone came around, so he figured he could pass time by training and maybe create a few new creatures for his daughter so that she would be happy, she had inherited her mothers magic and not his and although it made him a little sad, he wasn't disappointed, it was after all a strong magic.

Besides maybe the next child would take after him, but then again maybe not. He chuckled at his own thoughts and made a small ice dog, since his daughter loved dogs for some reason. "Can you make a cat?" A voice surprised him and he looked to his side to see a small child sitting next to him staring at the dog, what surprised him more then his presence was the fact that he didn't see him or sense him at all, had he been so lost in his own thoughts?

Nevertheless he smiled at him and created a small cat out of ice instead and watched as the child screamed and started clapping his hands in excitement, but that was all he did, he didn't approach the cat or played with him like most children his age usually did, at least from what he had experienced. So Lyon smiled and leaned back on the fountain that he was sitting on, "If you want you can play with him?" It came out as a question but it was the only permission the child needed before he bolted to the cat and started petting him.

He watched the little kid run around and play with the cat for a while and just enjoyed the laughter and the nice weather. "So, is cat your favorite animal?" Lyon was used to children and how to handle them but he would've much rather preferred a adult that could help him, not that he was complaining, it was nice with some company. "Uh-huh, my mom has a lion and he's really cool." The kid answered and it made Lyon curious, a lion? "What's your name?" he asked instead, it would be strange to always think of him as the kid or child.

"Koshi" the kid answered without looking at him and Lyon had to laugh at his fascination at a mere ice cat. "So Koshi, this Lion that your mother has... Is he nice?" it was kind of hard to ask if he was a feral and vicious creature to a small child but maybe he would understand.  
"Yeah, he lets me eat candy when mom isn't watching and he plays with me, I kind of think of him as my dad," he started laughing again at something the cat did that Lyon didn't see. His father? A lion? That just made him more curious but he dismissed it, Koshi was young and children had vivid imagination, perhaps it was an imaginary friend?

"So Koshi? How old are you?" He asked instead after he decided to drop the subject of the lion parent. He looked towards the village to see if someone else, older was there but he couldn't see anyone. "4 and a half!" Koshi answered happily with his fingers in the air and Lyon smiled, he was only a year older than his daughter.

"Do you know where all the grown ups are?" He asked actually curious about this question. Koshi started laughing because the cat tickled him but Lyon waited patiently, if it was one thing he had learned from his wife and daughter it was patience. "At work, that's why I snuck out, it was boring and they didn't have time for me" Koshi somewhat sadly said and Lyon grimaced, he knew the feeling of sometimes not having enough time to spend with his family, but it didn't mean that he didn't love them.

"Aren't you worried that your mother and lion dad will be mad at you for sneaking out?" Lyon asked and humored him. That made him think about it and Lyon smiled at how he could see the wheels spinning inside his little head without even looking at his face, speaking of which, he hadn't seen it yet either, all he had seen was the yellow hair.

"KOSHI!" Lyon heard screaming moving towards them and he assumed it was a worried mother searching for a missing child, that was sitting right in front of him playing with his cat. So he stood up prepared to help the mother find them if he necessary, but he didn't expect he woman that cam running out from the forest.

He knew the moment he saw her that she was rich and that usually meant nobility so he immediately stood straighter out of respect and waited until she got closer, he saw Koshi flinch and squirm but he stood up and waited for his mother as well, he looked down and Lyon recognized the guilty posture that he had seen many times from his own daughter and he stifled a chuckle.

The woman immediately picked up Koshi and hugged him tightly and Lyon had to smile because he could feel the love emitting from her and the relief from finding him after she had picked him up. She hugged her son for a while, before she noticed him and her eyes widened and he wondered why, "Lyon?", that surprised him, she knew him and now that he thought about it her voice did sound familiar. It only took a second before he remembered.

Lucy Heartfilia, she had been in his little brothers guild. He noticed how she pushed her son towards her chest and tried to move away, and he immediately put up his hands to show that he wasn't a threat. "Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything" He said and he saw her stop moving but she still looked tense. "Why are you here?" Lucy asked worried about about his presence, had they found out?

Lyon immediately started digging in his pocket for the mission flyer to show her that he meant no harm, "Here look, I'm here for a mission, but I kind of got lost and ended up here" he held up the flyer for her to see and he saw her read it fast and then she looked confused before she nodded. "Mom?" both of them looked down at Koshi who was looking curious about the whole exchange, and it was at that moment that Lyon saw his face for the first time and he entered a kind of shock followed by confusion,

"Gray?" he put up his hand towards the child, but stopped when he saw the fear in Lucy's eyes. "His name is Koshi" Lucy said genuinely afraid, there was no hiding it now... unless? "My husband, his father looks a little bit like Gray," Lucy explained in a lie. Lyon didn't look like he believe her but he would let it drop, for now. There was no way someone looked like his brother this much.

"I see, I'm sorry but do you think you could guide me in the right direction of the mission?" Lyon asked and looked at the mission flyer, prepared to start reading the name of the location. Apperently it wasn't necessary, because she started walking and gestured for him to follow. "I'm not really sure why but it seems that it was my father who put up that mission, so the location is our house" Lucy explained on the walk to the mansion.

The walk there was spent in an awkward silence with Lyon trying to catch another glimpse of Koshi's face and Lucy trying her hardest to hide it. It took a while but Lyon finally gave up and decided to small talk instead to try and ease the situation. "So, when did you get married?" he asked because he saw the ring on her finger. Lucy glanced at him worried, she had said that at the spur of the moment to evade any future questions.

"It was after I left Fairy Tail, two months maybe?" She thought hard about that before she answered, it had to make sense, otherwise he would get suspicious. "How about you?" Lucy gestured towards his ring but didn't push him on it. Lyon smiled when he she asked because his thoughts immediately went to his darling wife and the day they had married. "We're celebrating our fifth anniversary next year." Lyon answered, he wouldn't forget, he had something special planned for that day after all.

Lucy smiled at him, she could really feel the love and she wished she had that kind of relationship as well but she had Koshi, her greatest treasure in the world who was starting to fall asleep in her arms. She was planning on asking who he had married curious about it, was it someone she knew?  
Unfortunately she didn't have time because they had arrived at the mansion and Lucy felt her muscles relax a little, Lyon focus was on the building and not on her and Koshi. She guided him quietly in and allowed him to admire the house until she reached the parlor where she excused herself and told him that she would call for her father and he would be with him in a while.

The moment she had exited the room she darted towards Koshi's room while trying to think of a way to fix this, or more like fool him so that she could prevent a confrontation with the man that she had been trying to avoid for years. Since Koshi had already been sleeping she had simply put him down on his bed and left him alone to go to her own room, she need to think and come up with a solution to trick Lyon fast.

She paced around the room feeling how the time started to run out with each step, she considered summoning Loke to ask him if he had any ideas but he was busy today otherwise he would've already been there. When she knew she no longer had anymore time left she thought about all of her spirits and which one of them could help her right now and a thought popped up, and if that worked then maybe she had found the answer to her dilemma.

When Jude had found out from a butler, that his daughter had sent to inform him that a magician was waiting for him in the parlor, he had rushed to greet him. He had put up the mission flyer on a whim, he had never expected anyone to actually take it.

He wasted no time knocking on doors in his own home and entered the room, he was after all expected, and the moment the magician sitting on one of the couch saw him he immediately stood up, Jude smiled to himself, he had manners, something he had thought impossible from mage, at least from what he had witnessed in the past.

"Mr. Bastia? I am Jude Heartfilia, welcome to the Heatfilia mansion, I hope the journey was not too far?" Jude extended his arm for the man to take it, and he immediately did and squeezed hard, which one again impressed Jude, young people now a days didn't bother with proper etiquette. "Mr. Heartfilia. Nice to meet you I'm Lyon Bastia from Lamia Scale, no the trip was quite pleasant and the view around here is very peaceful" Lyon answered as politely he could, he decided not to speak of how he had gotten lost since it didn't matter and would only be senseless talking.

"I had not received any notice that you someone had accepted the mission so I was not aware of your arrival so you have to excuse for not being able to entertain you for the time being but I have some work to do so we'll have to talk tomorrow, and I'm sure you're tired from the trip so I'll have a servant show you to your room." Jude finished and when he saw Lyons acceptance he left to find the nearest servant, who happened to be Spetto. He kindly asked her to give their new guest a suitable room and inform him of meal times before she returned to her duties, he usually wouldn't have asked kindly but his daughter and grandson kindness had rubbed off on him.

Lyon decided not to push the subject of the mission and just allow himself to rest for the rest of the day, he was tired and it had been an eventful day. So he waited patiently for someone to get him and then even more so when they walked towards the room he would have for a month, he even patiently stood and listened to her when she told him when it was time to be at the dining room to eat, it wasn't until she left him that he collapsed on the bed exhausted.

He watched the ceiling for a while and felt himself drift away, he dreamed of his wife their daughter and for some reason Koshi. It wasn't until a few hours later when he woke up, with his mind still on Koshi that he began to really think about the child that looked so much like his brother except for the blond hair.

He spent an hour thinking about him before deciding that he shouldn't make any decisions before closely analyzing everything, he had made rash decisions in the past before and it had turned out to be the wrong ones, so for once he would think before he acted. He had a month before he had to leave and a month was more then he needed to find out the truth even if he had to use any means possible. After he made that decision it was a lot easier to fall asleep and since he had woken up in the middle of the night he didn't resist when his body started to shut down to get the sleep that he really needed.

The next day the first to awoke, besides the servants, was Jude Heartfilia, he had a lot of things to do that day, one of the first was to give the mage that he had hired his job. He had specifically requested an ice mage after he had witnessed his grandson using that specific magic, although it was only for a moment and the poor child had passed out after because of the overuse of magic, but it was enough for him to know that Koshi had inherited magic from his parents and it looks like he had inherited his fathers.

He had asked his daughter what kind of magic the father used and when she had told him he was an ice mage he had gotten confirmation he needed and had put up an flyer for a tutor. Unfortunately he had not received the quick response that he had expected and he was ashamed to admit it but he had forgotten that he had put up the flyer, nevertheless he was pleased that someone had answered it because when it came to magic it was better to have control over it then to leave it like a ticking bomb, and it would be a good protection as well as a weapon.

Although he would never wish upon his one and only grandson, the fact that heirs were targeted for their life because of the money was a fact in this world and it would be good if he could at least protect himself if everything else failed. That brought another thought to mind, secrecy, Jude immediately rushed to his office to write up a contract of confidentiality, it was better if nobody knew his grandson could use magic, that way everyone would underestimate him and he would survive and that was the only thing that mattered.

On the other side of the mansion Lucy had just woken up and was preparing for the day, including the confrontation with Lyon. She had consulted her plan with Loke before she went to bed last night and although he wasn't thrilled about it, he had somewhat come to understand why she still wanted to keep it a secret.

Lucy had decided to not execute the plan today, it would seem too suspicious if she just made came up with an excuse right away, she had to make it seem natural. So she had to let it go for now and go see how her son was doing, Loke promised her that he would come today and visit, Koshi had missed him and she loved that he just like her, loved spirits.

She wondered if he would inherit her magic and which keys she would give him if he did, of course all of them eventually but at first maybe the silver keys, Plu?  
She giggled a little to herself on the way there happy at the idea of him using celestial magic. She knocked at his door but entered when he didn't answer and just as she suspected he was sprawled out on the bed with his covers at the side and stomach showing, Lucy sighed at his bad sleeping posture but then laughed and went to sit by his bedside, and brushed some of his hair aside.

He truly was the treasure of her life and no one in this world could ever replace him. She smiled happily as she watched him starting to wake up, he rubbed his eyes and sat up hair ruffled and eyes unfocused, he looked at her and smiled and she smiled back and gave him a big hug.

She did feel a little sad that Gray hadn't had the opportunity to feel all the emotions that she had felt for Koshi, but she knew that it was the right decision to leave. Besides for all she knew he might have had children with Juvia after she left, she hadn't been that informed of Fairy Tail after she had left, only the major stuff that had entered the newspaper, or when she had sent help after they had been arrested by the council, she had laughed for a while after she had heard that.

"Good morning sweetie, did you sleep good?" Lucy asked and let go of him so that she could watch him. He nodded and stretched, "Yeah, I dreamt of Le-Lo and we were playing tag." Koshi explained and Lucy laughed at the nickname Loke had gotten.

"Le-Lo is going to come over today so you better hurry up and get prepared." Lucy said and waited for the reaction, it didn't even take a second before Koshi bolted of from the bed to the washroom screaming happily. Lucy stood up and walked after him to inform him that she would be waiting for him downstairs in the dining hall for breakfast, and after she reminded him to brush his teeth she walked downstairs to wait for everybody else wondering if Lyon would join them or not.

They were halfway through the breakfast before Lyon came though the doors in hurry, he had overslept. Lucy didn't say anything and only smiled his way before returning to her eggs, Koshi was too busy trying to finish so that he could go out and play so he didn't say anything and continued to put food in his mouth until he couldn't fit anymore.

The only one that acknowledged him was Jude and he gestured for him to sit down next to him so that they could discuss what his work was going to involve. They ate in silence everyone in their own thoughts, it wasn't until Lucy felt the tingle that she smiled and turned so watch her son so that she could see his reaction.

Contrary to Lucy's belief Loke hadn't entered right away as she had thought, he had taken his time and slowly walked over to stand behind Koshi before staring at Lyon, Lucy understood his captiousness but wished he would act more natural.

"Hello, I'm Lyon Bastia" Lyon was the first to say anything since it was clear that they other party wouldn't do it. Loke nodded and went to pick up Koshi, "Hey dude, I heard you missed me? Want to go outside and play?" Loke asked trying to set the plan into motion, the first step to that was to make sure that Koshi wasn't anywhere near Lucy and Lyon. He stepped away after giving Lucy a small kiss on the cheek.

Koshi smiled and started telling Loke about all the new toys he had gotten since last time that they could play with and Loke humored him and laughed as they moved closer to the gardens. Lyon watched their interaction closely but didn't say anything, it wasn't his place after all but that didn't mean he wasn't curious.

"Your husband?" Lyon cautiously asked and he saw how Lucy giggled which only made him more confused.

"Heavens no, that was Loke, also known as Leo of the Lion Constellation. He's one of my spirits." Lucy explained with a smile, and sipped her tea. Lyon nodded, now it made more sense when Koshi had mentioned that he had an Lion parent, so it wasn't an imaginary friend after all.

"So, Mr. Bastia, about your job." Jude spoke up after they had been introduced and waited until he had the young magicians attention, he had it instantly.

"I put up the flyer because I needed a tutor in ice magic for my grandson, he has shown some skill in that particular magic and I would like to explore that so that he can control it and defend himself if needed." Jude explained and knitted his hands together on the table while waiting for a response.

Lyon's mind was going faster then normal by now, so not only did he look like his little brother, he even had the same magic? Whatever doubts he might have had that the child wasn't Grays now disappeared.

He looked towards Lucy to see if he could find any guilt but her attention wasn't on him she was looking baffled at her father. "What do you mean? Koshi hasn't even used magic yet, what makes you think it's ice, he could have mine?" Lucy had stood up and was almost shouting, this was out of her calculations. She knew that there might be a chance that her son inherited Grays ice magic but if that was the true then she didn't mean to find out with his brother sitting across from her.

"It happened very quickly and he fainted right away after, he had done it unconsciously at that time and he doesn't even remember doing it." Jude explained curious about his daughters outburst, he hadn't seen them in a while now.

Lucy sat down slowly trying to digest what had just been said, this was news that she didn't know how to handle with everything else going on. So she looked at Lyon, who was still looking at her, and wondered what she was going to do now. No, this changes nothing, the plan would still work she just had to change the date.

"If that is true and he really uses ice magic then I hope that you can teach him at least the basics so that he won't hurt himself" Lucy asked Lyon and looked him straight in the eyes, almost begging him. He nodded, it was the job he came here to do after all, he had never backed out of one and he wasn't going to start now. "I don't mind, but shouldn't his father teach him since they use the same magic?" Lyon asked and tried to corner Lucy for an answer while somewhat referencing to his brother.

"Unfortunately, his father is a busy man and rarely comes over here. The time that he is over here is spent doing other things so he wouldn't have the time to teach Koshi anyway, so this actually works in our favor" Lucy answered and dodged his question expertly. Lyon had to grin at her answer because it was a perfect one and not at all suspicious since he had an konzern to run. Jude on the other hand was confused, although it didn't show on his face he was after all a veteran in poker faces, but he would definitively have a conversation with his daughter and have her explain.

"So I assume you accept the mission then?" Jude asked after he put all the other thoughts aside and focused at the task at hand. "Of course, there aren't allot of ice magicians around so you have to take the opportunity and help when you can." Lyon answered and Jude nodded pleased with the answer. He took out the freshly drawn contract and gave it to him to read if he wanted to but the important thing was that he signed it.

"It's the contract of confidentiality, I hope you understand but Koshi is the heir of on of the biggest fortunes in the world so he will have people that are going to target his life, it would be better if no one knew of his magic so that he could have the upper hand." Jude explained and took out a pen from his pocket and gave it to him.

Lyon signed it immediately, although he knew he would break it the moment he was done, but the father should have a right to know of his own son's existence. Jude picked up the contract and set it aside, "If there is anything you need just let us know and you will have it, when would you like to start?" Jude asked and stood prepared to go around and take care of other matters, his daughter was there after all.

"I suppose we could start right away, with something small, usually you train ice magic in cold areas so that you can accommodate to the cold weather and then control it, but I guess we don't really need it." Lyon answered and started to think of a way to practice ice magic without the cold, all he really had to go on when teaching magic was what he had been taught by his own teacher. "Lucy, don't we have a cabin up in the mountains that is functioning?" Jude asked his daughter and she nodded,

"Yes, I'll prepare and go to pack our things." She instantly stood up and left for their rooms to prepare. Lyon followed her with the intent of getting some answers. "So this cabin, how far away is it?" Lyon decided to start out with small questions. Lucy glanced at him but didn't comment on him following her.

"Probably a days walk, but we're not going to walk so don't worry, we're going to be there in less then ten minutes" She answered and entered her sons room first, and took out some warm clothes after asking Lyon what would be appropriate, he advised to take some light clothing since the whole point of going was to learn to withstand the cold.

After Lucy had packed she had summoned Virgo and gotten her to take the suitcases before she and Lyon went to find Koshi and Loke. They were playing soccer outside, and Koshi was laughing happily which only made Lucy smile and join them for a while until she got tired, it wasn't exactly easy running around in a dress.

She sat down on the ground to catch her breath and Loke came to sit beside her, he wanted more information on about what was going on. Koshi on the other ran to his mother and Le-Lo happy that they sat together, he had a small hope that they would get married so that Le-Lo would be his real father.

Lyon had to say that they looked like a real family sitting together like that and he was almost tempted to leave but he had an mission to do. "I'll be waiting in front of the house" he instead said and left before he got a response.

Lucy and Loke watched him go before the turned to each other and had an internal conversation, it mostly consisted of the safety of Koshi and when it was confirmed that he wasn't in any real danger and that he could listen in on the conversation Loke nodded and voiced his question.

"So, what's going on?" Loke finally asked and leaned back a little. Lucy looked at him and smiled before turning to Koshi. "Sweetie, would you like to learn magic?" she asked which only made Loke tense up, he had begun to complete the puzzle now that he had all the pieces.

"Really? Then I'll be able to use the same magic as you and call for Le-Lo whenever I want?" Koshi asked giddily jumping in the same place ecstatic about the fact that he would be able to spend time with Loke whenever he wanted. Lucy smiled at his happiness and felt a little sad that he wouldn't be able to use a magic that he loved, Loke on the other hand laughed out loud and patted Koshi's head, even if he wanted to summon him he was sworn to Lucy until she took her last breath.

"Sorry sweetie, but Le-Lo is mommy's spirit so you can't call for him, and no you're not going to learn my magic but a different one." Lucy explained in his own words so that he would understand her easier. Loke smiled and nodded when Koshi looked at him for confirmation, he got sad before he cheered up a little, he was still going to learn magic. "Then what am I learning?" He asked and focused on Lucy again.

"Well, according to grandpa, you know ice magic so he called for a tutor. You know that guy you were playing with when you ran away?" Lucy explained and gave him a small glare when she mentioned the time he ran away, but Koshi was to happy to care for the glare, ice magic was cool, he could create pets from ice and then he would always have someone to play with.

"I've already packed our things so that we can go right now and then you'll be able to start learning right away, would you like that?" Lucy asked and stood up brushing of her dress from the grass, Koshi didn't waste a second and ran towards the house, past his mother with the goal to get there faster. Loke waited until he was a few feet away before he stood up and walked with Lucy,

"Are you sure about this? It will only make him more suspicious." He said while walking there quietly, careful so that Koshi didn't hear him. "He's already somewhat figured it out, trying to hide it now would only confirm everything for him, besides we'll stick to the plan, it'll work" Lucy explained and Loke nodded, they had reached Lyon and Koshi by now and couldn't talk about it anymore.

"I'll be leaving then, call for me when you're there" Loke kissed her cheek and looked at Lyon before disappearing with poof. Koshi was to busy to notice anything going around him and Loke knew that so he didn't bother saying anything, besides they would meet soon.

"Do you need anything before we leave?" Lucy asked and looked at Lyon before stopping in front of him bringing Koshi a little bit closer to her. He shook his head and Lucy nodded before stepping away, she took out a silver key and Lyon wondered what spirit it would be.

"Open gate of the charioteer; Auriga!" Lucy screamed loud and swiftly swished the key in the air in front of her creating a big smoke before a wagon appeared and a large man with goats were standing there holding the reins. He curtly nodded before looking straight ahead waiting for the passengers to get on, Lucy wasn't bothered by it, he had never been a person good with words after all. She simply picked up Koshi and got on, Lyon followed unsure if he even should but since she didn't say anything he figured he should just go with the flow.

When Auriga was sure that they were on he looked at his summoner asking where they were going with his gaze, "To that mountain, we have a cabin up there so please take us as close as you can" Lucy answered and pointed in the right direction.

Arigua simply nodded, all he really needed was for her to remember and give him an image and he would know where to go anyway, but he never bothered to correct her, it was human fashion to tell with words were they wanted to go.

He shook the reins and the goats heard his command so they stood up and before anyone knew it they were up in the air traveling at such a high speed that you couldn't see anything at all, and then they stopped abruptly in the middle of a snow drop, the cold hit them hard because they weren't prepared for it, except Lyon he looked the same.

Lucy immediately hugged Koshi to stop the wind from hitting him by taking the first hit. She quickly ran inside the cabin, and noticed that she didn't need to prepare anything, everything was already cleaned and warm.

"Honey, are you cold? Would you like something warm?" Lucy looked him over to see if anything was wrong other then the cold, the ride over here happened fast and some people can't handle transportation, she should know she had been around dragon slayers for years.

"Mom, I'm fine. It wasn't that cold anyway" Koshi brushed of his moms hand a little embarrassed that she had made so much fuss over nothing, he was a big boy! "He wouldn't be much of an ice magician if cold of this caliber bothered him" Lyon said from the door, although the cold hadn't bothered him when they arrived he had felt the shock of the transportation and it took a minute for his body to process it.

Lucy glared at him and stood up angrily, "He might be learning ice magic but right now he's still just a child and he hasn't even started yet so that makes it perfectly alright for him to feel cold!" Lucy yelled at him, so she was protective of her son, sue her.

Lyon didn't budge, he was here to do a job and this was the first if not one for he most important steps of it. "Magic runs in the blood, all we need to do is learn how to use it." Lyon calmly said and moved past her to Koshi. "Did you feel cold?" he asked the person in question and waited.

"No! I'm fine, it wasn't cold at all" Koshi eagerly said, he didn't like that they were fighting and wanted it to stop. Lucy huffed at her sons answer a little angry that he had taken Lyons side but dismissed it, he was too young to understand. Lyon looked at Lucy as if to prove his point before turning back to Koshi.

"Then let's start training, we'll start by getting you used to cold so let's go outside, OK?" Lyon asked and left for the door, he kept it open while waiting for the child but he didn't come, instead he watched his mother waiting for confirmation and although Lucy was fuming she forced herself to calm down somewhat and nodded at Koshi giving him permission to go.

"You better not give him the habit of stripping out of his clothes!" She shouted behind them and she could hear Lyons laugh as they left.

It was also at that moment that Loke came and stood next to her watching them leave. "You know you don't have to this, right? You could still change your mind and just erase his memories or something" Loke asked as they moved to the the window and watched how Lyon tried to teach Koshi ice magic.

Lucy thought about those words but shook her head at it, she never intended to keep her son a secret, she just didn't want his existence to cause any unnecessary trouble to anyone. "No, it's fine, we'll work through this. Besides the plan will work." Lucy looked at Loke and smiled so he didn't have any choice but to smile back.

* * *

Lucy couldn't have wished for that hellish month to be over any sooner, every nerve wrecking moment where she thought she had been caught or every time her son came back exhausted and bruised she had almost cracked and been on the verge of ruining everything by doing something that she would've regretted.

It had been especially hard when Koshi had gotten home one night unconscious, she had almost killed Lyon at that moment if it wasn't for Loke literally holding her back. At least all of that was now over and they were heading home, Koshi had learned the basics of the basics, the rest was up for him to evolve and train. He was so tired that he couldn't even stay awake for the journey home, which only worked in Lucy's favor at the moment.

Auriga was now standing by an waiting for them because Lyon was being difficult by not wanting to board, he would much rather walk apparently then become sick like he did a month ago, Lucy was getting annoyed at him. She and Koshi were already on and she was trying to convince him that it wasn't bad but he was being stubborn so she did the only thing she could think of.

"Sorry about this" Loke said after he had appeared behind Lyon in the blink of an eye, Lyon barely had the time too look behind him before he was up in the air from the throw that Loke had given him and then he was on the chariot and on their way, Auriga hadn't wasted the opportunity.

It only took a few minutes and then they were in front of the mansion and Auriga disappeared without a word after they had gotten off. "I'll kill him" Lyon muttered as he started to feel the nausea coming. Lucy laughed at his behavior, "It wasn't that bad, at least we're back" she waited for him to recover and held her sleeping son in her arms, he would probably be asleep for the rest of the day.

"Honey! Welcome back home, I missed you." A young man walked out of the mansion and approached Lucy, he kissed her on the cheek and took Koshi out of her arms.

"Sweetie? I didn't know you were back, I'm sorry I should've been here to welcome you back home" Lucy said and hugged him lovingly. "It's fine, for once let me be the one to welcome you back, besides I've already been here for two weeks. I heard about everything from father in law, I always thought he would inherit your magic not mine" He looked at Koshi happily and kissed his forehead.

"Me too, but I suppose this is better when it comes to defense, how long will you be staying?" Lucy asked and took his hand in hers. "Unfortunately not for long, I'm leaving tonight. I already stayed more then I should have but I wanted to see you before and Koshi before I left." He explained and Lucy laughed. Lyon watched them closely from the ground that he was sitting on and the only conclusion he could come too was that the man in front for him was the aforementioned husband.

He stood up albeit a little shakily and coughed, it got Lucy's attention and she stopped walking. "I'm so sorry, I forgot to introduce you. Lyon this is my husband and Koshi's father Callux Hertfilia. Honey, this is Lyon Bastia, he is Koshi's ice magic teacher." Lucy explained and gestured to each man while doing the introductions.

Callux handed over Koshi to Lucy again and approached Lyon with his hand out in the open expecting a handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you, thank you for taking care of and teaching Koshi. I would've done it myself if I had the time." Lyon took his hand and shook hard trying to sense any ice magic from the man, which he did, but he also felt another more powerful magic, that felt familiar.

"It's no problem I suppose, we ice magicians are rare and need to help each other out. I'm going to assume you're the ice magician? Although I feel that magic coming from you it's very weak" Lyon asked, he didn't want to be rude but he had to make sure. He didn't receive the anger he had expected from the man, instead he started laughing so hard that he had gotten tears in his eyes.

"Yes, I regret to say this but I don't practice it so much anymore so it's starting to fade away but I used to be quite good at it before I settled down." Callux explained and then he moved closer to Lyon "Don't worry Lucy would never cheat on me" he whispered before he went to Lucy still laughing. He grabbed a hold of Koshi and took Lucy's hand before they turned to walk into the house

"Come Mr. Bastia, we have to talk. It's not every day I meet a fellow ice magician." Callux called behind him before he entered the building and disappeared from Lyons sight. He sighed and followed, he had to admit that man looked allot like his brother, perhaps his accusations had been wrong? Lyon felt stupid now, he had been in a hurry to accuse someone of something without any proof, only suspicions.

However Lyon didn't feel like spending another day here, it was still daytime and if he hurried he would have enough time to make it back home and be with his family, all he really needed was to get payed and he could leave. He excused himself from the invitation and explained the situation, Lucy understood and guided him to her fathers office.

There he was paid generously and even received a bonus that he didn't know of yet, Lucy felt that he deserved it. In the end only the three of them were standing in front of the mansion, Koshi was upstairs sleeping and Jude was busy working.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay the night?" Callux asked again and Lyon declined yet again. "You could stay for the day and say goodbye to Koshi, I could get Auriga to take you home and you would be there under 10 minutes." Lucy said and offered at the same time.

Lyon thought about it briefly, although he did want to say goodbye to his first student he didn't want to take a ride on that chariot again so he politely declined. "I'll send him some letters from time to time to ask how it's going with his magic. This probably won't be the last time I see him" Lyon said and Lucy agreed.

She gave him a hug and wished him goodbye out of sentimentality and Callux shook his hand and hoped he had a safe travel, Lyon leaned in during the handshake exactly the same as Callux had done before, "You should spend more time at home, your son misses you in his life" Lyon whispered and backed away not waiting for an answer.

Lyon nodded at them both before he left, a final goodbye, he had been surprised about the hug since he had thought that Lucy had hated him but perhaps he had been wrong there too. He turned and looked at the mansion one last time before it disappeared from his view, all that was left was not to get lost on his way to the train station and he would be home by the night to give his wife and daughter a kiss each, he looked forward to that.

Lucy watched Lyon faded beyond the horizon and when she couldn't see him anymore she finally exhaled, exhausted by the whole charade. A poof appeared from the man next to her and two small creatures appeared instead.

"We did good?" they asked and jumped around happy that they were in their original form. Lucy watched her spirit and smiled, "Yes Gemini, you did very good. Far better then I could've hoped" she thanked them before they disappeared back into the celestial world and Loke appeared instead.

"That went good, even I was fooled from watching that, we all were actually" He explained and referred to her other spirits. Lucy looked at him and smiled bitterly, "That's good then, cause honestly that didn't feel right." Lucy explained and Loke nodded, he understood what she meant.

"At least now it's over" He comforted her and brought his arm around her shoulders, she leaned in to him and nodded. Now their lives would continue just as they had done before Lyon had came.

* * *

After 4 months had passed Lucy had finally relaxed and had almost forgotten all the anxiety she had felt when Lyon had been here. The only reminder that he had even been here were her memories and the fact that Koshi had been running around with animals made of ice.

Koshi had been a little mad that Lyon had left without saying goodbye but after Lucy had explained that he had a family of his own that he hadn't seen for a whole month waiting for him he had calmed down, and now he was running around playing with his newly learned magic, Lucy wasn't exactly thrilled about it because he had entered the mischievous age after Lyon left and was pulling pranks on her that involved ice, lord knows how many times she had slipped on ice or some animal made of ice had popped up and scared her.

At least now she was relaxing in her garden enjoying a good book with Koshi playing close by, and she couldn't have felt more at peace. This was truly how life was supposed to be like, without any troubles and peaceful.

"Mom! Look! I made a Lion! I made a Le-Lo! Look!" Koshi yelled to try and gain his mother attention so that she could see what he had made. "It's very nice, sweetie!" Lucy shouted back, and Koshi noticed that she didn't turn her head. "You didn't even look!" He pouted and crossed his arms, angry.

Lucy sighed and turned too see the lion and wondered if he really should be able to create such things at that age but all thoughts disappeared when she saw his angry posture, she giggled and put the book down to run over to him kissing him everywhere she could.

"Mom, stop," Koshi laughed and tried to move his mother face away. "Mom, stop it!" Lucy didn't listen and continued to kiss him relentlessly until she saw a figure standing in the opening of the gardens and she stopped shocked.

"Mom?" Koshi asked and nudged her confused as to why she had stopped so suddenly. Lucy didn't hear her son's question but was watching everything the man did, she saw him observe the ice lion and then he looked at her and Koshi before she saw him turn mad and his whole body tensed up and his knuckles turned white from clenching his hands.

"Mom, who's that?" Koshi asked but his question fell on deaf ears. Lucy was in a stare off with the man and they were both searching for answers to their own questions within the other persons eyes.

Lucy found them first and broke contact. "Gray" she whispered the name still unsure if he was really there or not, but unfortunately for her he heard her, "You have a lot of explaining to do Lucy!" he screamed at her and she closed her eyes, she hadn't fooled Lyon after all.


	4. The Truth

**Hi everybody! I'm back with a new chapter! Had a major writing block during the other half of this chapter but got it back at the end, kind of ;) **

**Wouldn't say that there is anything you need to know about this chapter... I think.**

**Someone told me that I've started writing too long so I tried to shorten it down, which I did succeed with so yay!**

**Another thing is that some anon has started bothering me about the whole Gray X Lucy thing. Why am I writing for this shipping? I should be writing for NaLu because it's the true pairing and yada yada, so whatever. I asked what she or he wanted from me and they said that they want a Nalu story, a Lemon as well so yeah. Sooooo looking forward to that (sarcastic) Well, I'm going to be cooperating with the anon, which will be weird since I don't know how to get in contact with them, but whatever as long as I get left alone. **

**Other then that I just want to say that I love all pairings as long as the other party is Lucy, and honestly there isn't any reason as to why it's Gray. Could've been anyone actually.**

**Also read the Authors Note at the end, it's far more important then this one :D**

**Well, I won't bother you anymore then that, enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 4 - The Truth

The wind was blowing between the three of them leaving them in a strained silence, Gray was still staring angrily and Lucy was looking uncertain about everything right now. She never expected him to appear like this, even if Lyon had told him she had expected a letter first or something of the sort, not the man in person standing in front of her.

She was looking at Gray and felt the anger radiating of from him, she knew she couldn't hide it anymore, and she wasn't planning to.

"Hello Gray, it's been a while, how are you doing?" she asked and let Koshi down, he stood by her and grabbed her dress unsure of what was going on.

"That's all you have to say?! No, hey look I'm sorry I didn't tell you or how did you find out, but no you're going to ask me how I'm doing? Sure I'll play along, I'm doing fine, you?" Gray shouted flabbergasted by her calm posture.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking. Sweetie, go and find grandpa, OK?" Lucy turned to Koshi and pleaded him with his eyes, he nodded not really wanting to leave his mother but he trusted her.

He ran by Gray and they got eye contact while he passed him, all Koshi could see in those eyes were anger and it scared him. He picked up his pace wanting to be out of sight from the man.

Lucy watched Koshi go and when she was certain he was gone she turned to Gray, "Would you like to sit down and have some tea?" She asked and gestured to the table where her book had been left.

Gray watched Koshi leave and kept on watching even when he was long gone, he only turned when he heard her question. "No, I don't want tea! I want to know if that boy, that just ran away from here, really is my son!" He wanted answers and her calm demeanor didn't help his anger.

Lucy sighed, she knew this day would come one day but she had hoped it would be later, a lot later, when Koshi was older. "I don't really know what it is you want me to say, but yes, he is yours." Lucy stood by awaiting his reaction.

"That's it? That's all you're going to say?" Gray didn't feel like that answered any question he had, expect the one he had already figured out.

"Yes, right now you're too exhilarated to be able to have a normal conversation so I'm not going to explain anything until you calm down." Lucy explained and started leaving, she had no desire to continue a conversation where the other party was screaming.

Gray wouldn't allow that and stopped her by grabbing her shoulder, "You're not going anywhere, not until I get the answers I want to every freaking question that I have or comes up." Gray whispered dangerously, he was beyond reasoning now.

"I never said I wouldn't. I just said that you have to calm down before that." She tried to push his hand off of her shoulder but his grip was like stone and it was beginning to hurt.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" He gripped harder and Lucy winced, "Didn't you think that I should have a right to know?!" He was screaming louder by now, "Or what, didn't you think that I would be a good father?!" His finger nails had teared through the skin,

"Gray, Stop it you're hurting me" Lucy pleaded on deaf ears, he was to far gone in his anger to notice anything around him. "He is my son and you had no right!" Gray was rambling and pushing harder with each words and for the first time Lucy felt fear, not because of Koshi and her choices, but because she didn't know what Gray would do right now in his anger.

"Auriga, please..." Lucy whispered too low for Gray to hear in his anger, and Auriga didn't need any more, they had all been watching and waiting for a command so the moment the name had left her lips he appeared and picked up Gray, tossed him in his chariot and before anyone knew it they were on their way to the guild as Lucy had instructed with her thoughts.

Lucy watched as they disappeared and grabbed her shoulder to try and put some pressure on the wound so that the bleeding would stop. She had never thought that it would go like that, but that's the thing about life, you never know how it's going to go.

She stood there and waited for Auriga to return to the celestial world and when she felt his magic disappear she relaxed and started walking back, she knew Gray would be back in Fairy Tail safe and sound, and Koshi was probably worried for her.

* * *

Gray didn't know what happened, one minute he was with Lucy and the next he was sitting on the ground in front of the guild confused. All he felt was nausea and dizziness, he tried to stand but gravity had other plans and he was forced back down. He decided not to fight and just wait it out, if Natsu could do it why couldn't he?

"I don't know why but I had a feeling that I was being cursed about, and lookie here, it's the ice princes. What are you doing?" Natsu grabbed Grays shoulder and crouched down trying to understand why he was sitting in the middle of nowhere.

"Go away flame brain" Of all the people that could've come it was the one he didn't want to see. "What are you even doing here? I thought you said that there was somewhere you had to go" Natsu asked and ignored his request.

"I already went, I think" He had the memories, they just didn't explain how he got here and it made him dubious about the whole thing.

"Did we go drinking last night?" He asked instead, perhaps he had imagined it all and had actually just been so drunk he had passed out in front of the guild. That actually made more sense, he would never hurt Lucy, not intentionally at least.

"What are you talking about? I was at home with Lisanna and Lina, you also went home right away?" Natsu got confused, they had both went home right away, he because he wanted to be with his family and Gray because he had something to do apparently.

"Yeah, thought so," That meant that he had actually hurt Lucy, and that he had a son. This was too much, he had only had a hunch but in all honesty he had never expected it to be right. This was too much, he needed a drink.

Natsu stepped aside as Gray stood up watching him before idly following him. "Where are we going?" he nonchalantly asked while following him with his hands behind his head.

"I don't know where you're going but I'm getting a drink, a strong one" Gray explained and sat down to order in the bar. "That bad, huh?" Oh, he had no idea, Gray nodded before he chugged the alcohol. He kept on drinking, not talking so Natsu took that as a sign to leave him alone.

"What's wrong with him?" Erza asked concerned, she had entered the guild and watched how her teammate had kept on drinking, until he had almost passed out.

"I don't know, I found him on the curb a few hours ago and he's kind of been drinking since then." Natsu explained while shortening down the story.

"Didn't he have somewhere where he needed to go today?" Erza asked, he had mentioned he was leaving for a while tomorrow, although he didn't say why. "He already went, I think" Natsu answered and scratched his head.

"Didn't it go well?" Erza asked, she had rarely seen her friend like this. "Probably not, he hasn't exactly said anything about it." Natsu explained. Erza nodded and decided to find out for herself.

"Gray, what happened?" She took a hold of his shoulder to try and get his attention. He watched her before sighing, "Nothing." He didn't want to talk about it right now.

Erza thought about it, he was to drunk to really know anything right now so if she just made small talk he would probably slip up. "The journey must've been tough, where did you go anyway?" She asked leaning down, Natsu approached interested in the conversation.

"I went to see Lucy" Gray mumbled tired. Natsu's shook was evident as he screamed her name, "What do you mean you went to see Lucy?!"

There was a complete silence in the guild for the first time in a while before the conversations erupted, "LUCY!?" Murmurs and screams were going around, during all these years they had never heard from her.

"How is she doing?" Erza asked quickly, "Why didn't you tell us you were going?" Natsu exclaimed angry, he had also wanted to go.

Gray was too drunk to notice the commotion around him, as far as he knew he was talking to himself. "She has a son" Gray muttered but Natsu heard him, "Really? Hey guys! Lucy has a son!" Natsu shouted to the rest fully aware that he was the only one that had heard.

"It's mine, it's my freaking son" Gray slurred and Natsu froze up, unsure if he had heard right. "What?" he whispered and got closer to Gray's face so that he could hear him better. "The reason she left all those years ago was because she got pregnant, with my son" Gray repeated.

"I knew it!" Natsu yelled loudly and drew the attention of the guild. "I knew that was the reason," Natsu yelled happily now that he had solved a mystery that he had been thinking about for years.

"What did you know?" Erza asked curiously, "Years ago before Lucy left she told us she was sick and I believed her because I could smell a difference on her but when Lisanna got pregnant I could smell the same change, and it made me wonder if that was the real reason. Turns out I was right" Natsu explained happily, that one had been bugging him.

"Lucy was pregnant at that time? Who's the father?" Erza asked seriously, Lucy hadn't been dating anyone at that time. Erza would blame herself for all eternity if something had happened to her that they hadn't been aware of.

"What are you talking about it's Gr-" Natsu stopped mid sentence, because it had just dawned on him. Gray and Lucy weren't dating at that time, hell he had been together with Juvia. "Gray" Natsu finished when he had figured it out. They all turned to the drunk at the bar that was sleeping by now.

When Erza had gone through all the scenarios in her head over of how it happened she had come to one conclusion, that it had been the reason Lucy had left and that meant that it probably hadn't been consensual and that fact angered her. So much that she had thrown a punch at Gray before she herself knew it, her body had moved because of the anger. The impact of her fist had thrown Gray across the guild and it had sobered him up a little as well.

"The hell was that for?" Gray asked while rubbing his jaw, he had an headache and wanted to sleep off the alcohol that he had been drinking.

"You're the father?! How is that even possible?!" Erza screamed needing answers to calm her anger, she wasn't sure what answers would calm her if anything any answers he could give would probably only make her angrier but she wanted them nonetheless.

"I don't know, OK! I think it was because of a curse, but I'm not sure, all I have is some hazy memories" Gray explained and combed his hair with his fingers.

Erza did calm down at the mention of a curse, but that didn't mean that the anger had faded. Natsu wasn't sure what had just happened, but trusted Erza's decisions, kind of.

"How old is he?" she asked instead and Gray looked away, "I don't know, I would guess somewhere around five?" The answer only angered Erza more so she gave him another punch.

"You don't even know the age of your own son?!" She screamed and clenched her fist harder prepared to give him another punch. Gray brought his hand up to wipe of the blood from his mouth,

"Give me a break, I didn't even know he existed until recently" He yelled back, the alcohol giving him some courage because otherwise he would've never dared to scream at Erza.

"And who's fault is that?!" She returned, as far as she was concerned he was the reason one of her best friends had left her all those years ago and it stung because Lucy had thought that they weren't trustworthy, and for the first time in years she felt a little betrayed.

Gray didn't answer because he knew it was his fault, if nothing else he could've seen the signs and connected the dots. "Did she tell you the name, it feels weird to keep referring to him without a name", Natsu asked to try and change the subject. "Koi or something" Lucy never told him but from his brothers story he could faintly remember.

"Actually, it's Koshi. She took the Ko from **氷** and Shi from** 星**." A voice explained from the doors and they all turned surprised, it was a voice they hadn't heard in years.

"Loke?" Natsu and Erza looked surprised at each other unsure of why he was here, he was Lucy's spirit. Did that mean that she was here? Natsu took a big sniff to try and find her location but came up with nothing, he shook his head and Erza nodded.

Loke went past them up to Gray and helped him up to his feet, "Are you OK?" he asked and when he got confirmation he gave him a punch. "That was for hurting Lucy" he explained and fixed the ring on his finger, he then turned to the guild happy to see so many familiar faces.

"So, how have you all been?" He asked. "Who cares about that, why are you here?" Natsu asked, him being here wasn't normal.

"Lucy sent me, I'm here to explain any questions about Koshi. Gray did mention over there that he had some." Loke explained before he sat down in the bar comfortable with the whole situation.

Lots of questions erupted from the people around Loke, about what he had been up to, how they were doing and what had been going on. It was Gray's voice that stopped them.

"Now that I think about why the hell didn't you tell me she was pregnant with my child? We're friends aren't we?" Gray had been punched hard but it wasn't something he didn't deserve.

"We are, but Lucy's wishes goes before yours. She's my summoner, trust me I did tell her to tell you at first but she was determined not to. Besides you were dating Juvia at the time, how's it going with that by the way?" Loke explained as much as he could, and even added a question he was interested in.

"You didn't know? They broke up about a year after you guys left." Erza told him and he nodded, he didn't want to pry too much.

"Gihihi, so bunny girl sperm jacked him." Gajeel walked up to them. The comment he made got him a few glares, and a death one from Loke.

"I would refrain from comments like that or someone is going to get hurt and considering I'm immortal, well that means it isn't going to be me" Loke threatened.

Gajeel felt like fighting back since he was threatened but the look Erza was giving him told him that he'd be better off not saying anything so he didn't and left to go find Levy, she was at home resting because she was heavily pregnant. She would probably want to be here for this.

"Well, since Gray is to drunk or hungover or whatever the case, I will return tomorrow, make sure he's capable of having a conversation, OK?" Loke stood up and dusted off his suit.

Lucy was right in him not being able to have a conversation when angered but the intoxicated him wasn't that useful either. Loke disappeared with a poof without waiting for confirmation, he knew the guild would be able to handle that at least.

* * *

The next day Loke had arrived to the guild expecting that him and Gray would have a conversation like civilized men, unfortunately the moment he got there he knew that wouldn't be the case since the whole guild had gathered and had been waiting for him.

Granted that it was something that he should've expected but at that moment he had no desire to answer the questions of people that weren't involved. He was here because of Gray and it was his questions that mattered.

"Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise, I didn't think you would all come." He walked forward but made no move to sit down, he scanned the room for Gray and found him sitting in the corner of the table the furthest away, he had a brooding look but at least he wasn't drunk or to lost in his own anger.

"Well, we all have a lot of questions and since you said you would answer them we all came." Erza had been the one to start talking, the rest of them nodded and started saying words that more or less agreed with her.

"I see, it's true that I did say that I would answer questions but I never once said they would be yours. I'm here for Gray's and only Gray's questions, if you want to know something else ask Lucy." Loke had decided to be honest and not waste any time, the honesty had surprised the table and even angered a few.

"We would if she had been around or kept in touch" Levy said bitterly and it surprised Loke, of all the people to hold a grudge he hadn't expected it from her.

"It works both ways" Loke simply answered before he walked over to Gray and grabbed a hold of him. "Well, if you'll excuse us" They both disappeared with a poof, and reappeared in the middle of meadow.

"Where are we?" Gray asked as he looked around, not recognizing anything. "Somewhere where we can talk in peace, I'm sure you have questions that you might not want to ask in front of the others." Loke explained as he pushed up his sunglasses a little.

"Yeah, thanks." Gray had been dragged into sitting with them because they wanted their own answers but in all honestly he needed them first. He didn't really know how to start so he asked the easiest one first.

"How did I get from Lucy's to Fairy Tail?" that one had been bugging him for a while, as far as he knew there were no such magic.

"That is thanks to Auriga, he's Lucy's spirit. Basically he's a transporter, a really fast one. Didn't your brother tell you about him?" Loke explained to him. Gray had figured that it might've been like that but he wasn't sure because when she was around he had never heard of that.

"No, we didn't really talk much, he only told me that he met another ice mage and that he was married to Lucy and that they had a kid, that also inherited ice" Gray scratched his head,

"It got me thinking, it was Gemini, right?" he asked seriously. "Yeah, pretty smart from Lucy's side actually, she had remembered that Gemini had memorized you when they were under Angels command" Loke explained proud of his master because none of them had thought of that.

There was a moment of silence, mostly because Gray didn't know how to ask the next question. Loke was patient, he knew that this must be hard on him and he was glad that he was trying to understand, instead of abandoning them.

"Why didn't she tell me?" Right now it was the number one question he's been wondering about. Loke sighed, he had wondered that himself sometimes but at that moment it made sense.

"Well, at that time you were dating Juvia and you were both happy together. She didn't want to ruin that." Loke started, "But she should've still told me, I would've" Gray stopped because he didn't know how to finish that sentence.

"You would've done what? Broken up with the girl you loved at the time? Even if there were circumstances around it it didn't change the fact that you cheated on her, and well Lucy didn't want Juvia to feel betrayed that way." Loke said with a smile, he was pretty much repeating the same words he had heard when he had asked the same questions.

"Besides, neither of you really remember that it happened nor how it happened, right? At that time Lucy had her magic sealed because of the curse so none of us spirits were aware of it either otherwise we would've helped..." Loke had thought about it many times and always blamed himself a little, he had promised to be there yet when she needed him, he didn't even know she was in trouble.

"Yeah that makes sense I guess," Gray said unaware of the inner turmoil that Loke was going through, but it did however bring Loke back and on the right track again.

"Besides if a girl came up to you and told you that she was pregnant with your child, would you believe her when you didn't have any memories?" Loke asked remembering that that had been Lucy's number one argument against telling him.

"Well no, but if it had been Lucy, I don't know I think I would've handled or done it differently" Gray looked down thinking about it, he had never thought about it like that.

"Well who knows how it would've turned out, it is what it is." There wasn't any point in crying over spilled milk, the past is the past and it will stay there, to brood over it won't change anything.

"So, how old is he exactly?" Gray asked curious about the life the both of them had created, granted without them knowing, but he was there and he should be treasured and he wanted to be there for him, he really did.

"Turning 5 this month." Loke smiled thinking about it, he already knew what to get him.

They spent the rest of the time talking about Koshi like that, what his interests were, what he did in his free time. and even discussed the ice magic. Gray had been smiling the whole time during that conversation, happiness was a word that couldn't describe the feelings he felt over the fact that his son, had inherited his ice magic.

Loke didn't want to tell him too much because he wanted Gray to get to know him on his own too, he just told him the bare minimum that he might need to know.

Gray understood where Loke came from and he didn't plan on wasting any more time then he already had in getting to know his own son. When they had wasted well over 2 hours talking about everything Loke had been prepared to bring him back to Fairy Tail, he just wanted to confirm one last thing.

"Do you want to remember what happened that day?" He asked in all seriousness. "What do you mean?" Gray had gotten confused, the question came out of nowhere.

"All creatures remember everything that they experience in life, it just gets stored away and you're unable to access it. Humans call it, to forget, but that doesn't mean that it isn't there, sometimes you even remember, right?" Loke explained as best as he could. When Gray nodded he continued.

"The curse isn't anything different from it, your body stored those memories away and you just aren't able to access them, that's it." He paused so that Gray could let the new information sink in,

"We celestials have a magic that is able to unlock those memories if you want to? It would be like reliving them and then you'll remember everything" Loke finished and then watched his reaction.

"Did Lucy do it?" He asked after a while. "She did, she wanted to be sure that you were really the father since she couldn't remember everything" Loke explained and even turned a little angry at the thought that someone else had done something to her.

"So she knows what happened that day... is it bad?" He didn't really want to relive something that showed him hurting his own friends. "I don't know, she never told me in detail but I don't think so or otherwise she would've looked more shaken or torn up after she returned" Loke explained even though he wasn't sure.

"Alright, I'll do it." In the end he still wanted to know, the curiosity was too much. Besides he wasn't one to run away from reality. Loke nodded and grabbed Gray ready to return him.

When they came back they were met with a lot of curious and angry faces but Loke didn't mind them at all,

"Alright so I'll come pick you up tomorrow same time. I'll leave and prepare the magic for now." He left quickly after he got confirmation from Gray, he didn't want to waste time answering any questions that anyone might have.

He had other things to take care of, he also needed to inform Lucy of how it went. He had forgotten to ask about the future and what Gray wanted to do from now on, but it was better that way he supposed. Now Gray would have some time to melt everything and then think about it before he made any rash decisions.

* * *

**Koshi's name  
****So the kanji 氷 means ice and in Japanese it's pronounced Koori. The second kanji is 星 and means star, it's pronounced Hoshi. I took Ko from ice and shi from star. Don't really know if that's how naming works in Japanese but whatever. **

**Secondly for those of you that have guessed it, the next chapter will be a flashback, which means a lemon! First time writing one so look forward to it.**


	5. Forgotten Memories

**Sooooo... This chapter took a while, guilty as charged but I have a good excuse I promise. **

**I was on vacation for three months in beautiful Croatia, highly recommended country to go to, loved the food. Anyway that unfortunately meant that I didn't have that much access to internet and in such no fan fiction. **

**The good news however is that I finally have a Beta! ****So everybody welcome the lovely Iyendi to the job, and let me tell you something... She's good, like really good good.**

**I hope ****everyone enjoys this lemon, it was really hard to write, and probably not my best lemon but since I feel that Gray is a kind of stoic character it was harder to write about him. **

* * *

Chapter 5 - Forgotten Memories

To say that Gray was nervous was an understatement; he didn't know what to expect, except for the obvious. He desperately wished that it hadn't been forced from his side. He could take it if they had been zombies that didn't really know what they were doing, but whatever the case he didn't want force in the picture.

He barely slept that night, thinking over all the things that could've happened. It hadn't helped that the guild had forced him to answer any question they hadn't gotten to ask Loke. In the end, he had given up and escaped, returning home so that he could be by himself. It didn't help. The silence and the isolation just helped his own thoughts surface to haunt him.

When he arrived at the guild to wait for Loke, he had bloodshot eyes; and he literally looked like hell. He hadn't bothered to change clothes, even if his stripping habit made clothes irrelevant.

Thankfully he didn't have to wait long since Loke arrived only a few minutes after him. Gray was anxious and he wanted everything to be over with, so he walked up to Loke as soon as he saw him, hoping that there wouldn't be any commotion that would prevent them from leaving.

Loke was surprised by how Gray tried to get them to go right away instead of waiting for a while, he didn't mind it and immediately ported them to the same meadow they had gone to yesterday.

"Thanks, didn't really want any questions," Gray explained and sat down on the grass. Now that Loke was here his nervousness had spiked up. He felt his heart beating faster, but at least Loke didn't push him. As a matter of fact, he understood him and waited patiently; He had, after all, seen it before. Lucy had been going through the exact same thing before she went through this.

"What exactly do I need to do?" Gray asked, hoping to get his mind on other things.

"Not much, all you need to do is relax and the magic will do the rest. Although I do suggest lying down, because you will lose control of your body." Loke explained while he started preparing the necessary magic. Gray raised an eyebrow at that but complied, he didn't need to know how but he did have a faint idea of why he wouldn't be able to control his body.

Lying down was easy, and he was greeted by the blue sky and white clouds while he waited, and for the first time in a while he felt peace, the peace of no worries. That only lasted for a minute, as his thoughts started to flow and he began thinking about what was going to happen.

"Whatever the hell it is that you're supposed to prepare, can you hurry the fuck up?!" Gray screamed frustrated and a little mad, it didn't help either that the only response he got was laughter.

"A little nervous are we?" Loke crouched down and grinned, Gray only gave him a glare before he closed his eyes to try and calm down.

"A little is an understatement," he muttered. Loke laughed before giving him a pat.

"Calm down, even Lucy wasn't as jittery as you are now." Loke informed him, but it only earned him another glare.

"Anyway, I'm all done, enjoy your memories," Loke said as he put down an orb right next to Gray's head, he pressed a few things before the orb started glowing and that was the last thing Gray saw as everything turned black.

* * *

"Why do we have to do this? Can't we just let the council deal with it?" Gray complained while picking up a staff and inspecting it curiously. He heard a giggle from somewhere in the room and knew he was being laughed at.

"I'm serious, they are going to take all of this anyway as evidence, so why can't they do this part as well?" Gray explained as a matter of fact, but he only heard more giggling and it caused him to sigh; he wasn't being taken seriously.

"You know I'm right," he muttered while picking up something else and putting it in the bag.

"Never said you weren't, but muttering isn't going to change anything, so you might as well suck it up and do the work." Lucy explained while walking up to him with a full bag.

"Why do we have to do this? Where are Natsu and Erza?" Gray asked as he pushed a couple of things into the bag waiting under the table.

"They are standing guard over the criminals. Erza said she wasn't comfortable with leaving them by themselves. They could think of ways to escape, and the fact that their magic isn't in their bodies but in the things they are wearing might also be why she had them stripped down to birthday suits," Lucy laughed again and Gray watched her curiously, she hadn't laughed this much at anything, ever.

"Are you OK?" He didn't feel like elaborating because, frankly, he didn't know what was wrong with her; it might just be in his head.

"What do you mean? I'm fine," Lucy explained while picking up another bag and trying to ignore his curious eyes, but that was her mistake. Gray knew she was lying because she always, always, looked people in the eye when talking to them, unless it was physically impossible. So he did what any person would do if their friend was having trouble. He dropped everything he was doing and walked over to her, grabbed her hand to stop her from working and looked her straight into her questioning eyes.

"Now I know that's a lie. What's going on? You know you can tell me anything, Lucy." He spoke as softly as he could. Being gentle wasn't his forte but he would try for his friend.

"Nothing, it's just..." she hesitated, not really sure if she should tell the truth. She was a mage just like them; she should be able to handle these things.

"When I saw those bodies, I just, I don't know, froze, and it it made me sick to my stomach and now whenever I close my eyes I can't get those images out of my head and I don't..." Lucy started rambling, talking faster and faster until Gray didn't have any other choice but to wrap her up in a hug and try to calm her down. She started crying in his arms and Gray could do nothing but hold her. They stood there for a while, Lucy crying her eyes out and Gray holding her, waiting for her to calm down, but once the tears had lessened she made no move to get him off. Gray didn't question it and simply continued holding her.

"Here I am supposed to be a mage and I'm supposed to be OK with these things and not get bothered by them but I froze, and you guys continued to fight while I was standing by the side crying my eyes out, and I felt so useless, so utterly useless," she muttered into his chest, breathing still hitching here and there. Gray listened quietly, not agreeing but allowing her to vent out whatever it was that bothered her.

"You're wrong you know," Gray said, but he didn't elaborate until he was certain he had her attention. "It's not like we weren't bothered by it, we just pushed aside the disgust and let the anger fuel us to take them down and stop anymore people from dying." He stopped to look into her eyes, wanting to make sure that she understood the seriousness of it all.

"Don't get used to it. Nobody is used to it. I'd be more worried if you were used to it, your reaction was normal and any of us would've acted the same if we hadn't been blinded by rage, trust me on that." He tried to convey that he meant every word while also trying to assure her that he meant nothing bad in any way. He'd had his share of women taking things in ways he didn't even know existed.

Lucy nodded and gave him a smile before hugging him while thanking him. It embarrassed him a little, so he coughed in an attempt to hide it.

"Anyway, let's finish this up so that we can go to a bar. I'll buy a drink to help you forget your problems. Drinking helps; trust me," Gray said while backing up and picking up his bag to continue collecting the things. He heard her laugh and knew that she knew that he was embarrassed, but he didn't try to hide it this time.

The rest of the time was spent in comfortable silence working and trying to finish up as early as possible.

Natsu came to check up on them and how it was going and fought with Gray a little before Lucy broke them up and told him to go and inform Erza that they were almost finished and would be there soon.

"You think Juvia would like this ring?" Gray asked as he picked up the last object on the table examining it. Lucy watched him as he admired it and sighed.

"If it's from you I think she would like anything you give her, but I wouldn't recommend giving her something from here. We don't really know what these objects are or what they can do, and besides, the thought of how they were created would freak any girl out," Lucy explained while carrying the last bag to the door where the rest of them were waiting.

"No, I'm serious. I think this would suit her, the blue jewel reminds me of her magic. If I take it and get it examined and remove the curse, if there even is one, she would love it." Gray approached her with it to show her.

"Maybe, but I would advise you to not tell her where you got it from," Lucy said as she watched it shimmer in his hands.

"Here, try it on." He started handing her the ring, and Lucy looked at it questionably before she looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Well there would be no point in taking it if it wasn't a girls size. I already know it can't fit me so at least it isn't man sized," Gray explained while rolling the ring in his fingers. He stretched out his other hand to her so that he could put it on her.

Lucy sighed and brought her hand forward to his expectant one. "I don't think man sized is a term used in jewelry by the way. You do know that not all girls have the same ring size, right?" she asked while he took her hand and guided the ring to her finger.

"I know, but it's easier to make small adjustments rather than big ones, right?" Gray explained as he slipped the ring on her ring finger and smiled proudly. It was a perfect fit. However what he failed to notice and what Lucy felt was that the ring adapted itself to her finger the moment it was put on, and she immediately realized it wasn't a normal ring.

"Take it off. It just shrank. It's cursed, hurry!" Lucy screamed, scared for herself and for Gray. She didn't know what the thing might do. She tried to pry it off but it was stuck. Gray caught on after a moment of staring in shock from her scared rambling and sprang into action to try to aid her in getting it off. He freaked when he noticed that it was stuck and did the only thing that came to mind: he froze her whole hand to stop anything from happening.

"Thanks, I guess," Lucy said as she looked at her hand that currently was covered in ice.

"Shit, I'm so sorry Lucy. It was the first thing that came to mind. When I tried it nothing happened so I figured they hadn't done anything to it. Hold on, I'll try and get rid of the ice, it must be freezing for you" He had made it in a frenzy and didn't really think through his actions.

"Eh?" Lucy blinked confused by his words as he took her hand.

"It doesn't feel cold at all..." She explained when Gray looked at her after her outburst. That immediately caught his attention and he hurriedly looked down at her hand but it was to late, the ring had started melting the ice, glowing brightly. Eventually the light took over the room and they were forced to close their eyes.

When it was over, they stood there both wondering what had happened, they didn't give it much thought as they looked up at each other. The moment their eyes met a haze filled them both and all thoughts left as they pounced on each other. Lucy jumped on him and brought her legs up around his torso while he grabbed her ass to keep her steady. They kissed ferociously, not wasting any time on breathing. The only sounds to be heard were moans and sloppy kisses.

Gray pushed her up against the wall so that he could get better access, and Lucy got busy with trying to get his shirt off. Gray caught on as she tried to pry it off so he put his arms up and stopped kissing until it was over his head.

He pinned her wrists above her head, as he continued to kiss her. She was far too easy to restrain. He started kissing down her neck sucking a little here and there. He didn't want to let go of her yet so he used his magic to freeze her hands in place as he moved his hands down to her shirt and bra only noticing at this moment that she was wearing a tube top, all the better for him. He pulled them down to her stomach in one move to release her breasts.

Lucy whimpered as she felt him tease and lick her breast and cursed the ice that restrained her but she could do nothing but enjoy the sensations he was giving her. It was a new feeling she wasn't used to and she didn't know if she liked it or not. She had touched her breasts before but when he did it it brought forward a peculiar feeling that she was in no way familiar with.

Gray smirked, hearing her whimpers and moans as he attacked her breasts. He knew fully well that she was enjoying it, even if she herself didn't know it yet. However, the bulge in his pants was getting unbearable and he was losing his patience in the foreplay. He released his magic and caught her as she fell, knees weak from his ministrations.

Lucy didn't waste a moment, bringing her hands around his neck and kissing him. He tried to pull away so that he could continue what he had started, but she wouldn't allow him. She enjoyed the kissing far more than the assault on her breasts, so she gave Gray no other choice but to pick her up and carry her to the closest table.

He guided her down, lips still interlocked, so that she was lying down on the table and continued to humor her for a while as he pushed her skirt up high enough to be able to get her panties off. He could feel the heat radiating off of her and wondered what would happen if he used his ice on her but gradually decided against it. He wanted to feel her first.

He was finally able to get away from the kissing so that he could indulge himself in a more private part of her body but he couldn't help the smirk when he heard her whimper from the loss of contact.

He licked her clit and Lucy immediately shot up from the contact and moved away from him, but Gray took a hold of her thighs to stop her from going anywhere as he continued to tease her clitoris.

She was feeling uncomfortable and wanted him to stop but at the same time her body was sending shivers down to her spine with every suck and lick that he gave. Eventually her body was feeling it too much. She needed to distance herself so she successfully moved away so that Gray had no other choice but to stop and look up at her.

He knew she was getting close, and he had unintentionally loosened his grip on her thighs. He smirked and moved above her while grabbing her wrists so that he could freeze them in place again, but Lucy wasn't going to allow it this time. She grabbed his shoulders and started kissing him from the neck down to his chest and he allowed her for a while until he grabbed a hold of her waist and pushed her down, and he froze her to the table. Lucy struggled but eventually gave up as Gray returned to his task of getting her wet so that he could fuck her brains out.

This time Lucy wasn't able to move away when the feeling became too much, and was glad of it as she reached orgasm. The onslaught of want became too much as she craved for more and begged Gray for it.

Gray smirked when he saw her displayed in front of him like that, begging for more and decided to grant her wish. He reached down and unzipped his pants happy that he was wanted commando for the first time. He felt the cold air on his dick causing it to twitch.

He brought it closer to her so that he could finally enter her and feel the warmth of her around him, but stopped to grind himself against her first so that he could coat himself with her juices, making it easier to enter. With every grind it became harder and harder for him to not plunge into her, but thankfully with the little sanity he had left he succeeded in just grinding for the moment.

The ice around Lucy was bothering her. She wanted to feel closer to Gray, not be chained down to the table, but she was having little luck in breaking it. She signaled Gray to remove it as he coated himself with her juices. He understood and came in closer to kiss her as he removed the ice at the same time.

Lucy didn't waste the opportunity and immediately got closer to him so that he wouldn't change his mind. He laid her back down but continued to hold her as he started pushing inside of her. It felt incredibly tight, too tight actually. It was hard to enter.

He could hear her whimper with every push, but knew he couldn't do anything to help it so he did what any man would do in this situation, he pushed in all the way in a single thrust to speed things up and not condemn her to pain longer than necessary.

Lucy screamed from the pain and grabbed him with his legs to stop him from moving, and Gray obeyed so he returned to kissing her instead to try and get her mind away from the pain. She started to kiss him harder. Gray took the opportunity to play a little with her breasts, anything to get her to relax so that she could release him and they could continue.

It seemed to be working because as Lucy got more engrossed in kissing as Gray could feel her legs relax around him which allowed him to move. He didn't waste the opportunity and started a slow rhythm. The unexpected movement made Lucy gasp and the air left her lungs.

She whimpered as he moved and brought her hand around his neck to hold him closer. Gray took that as sign to move faster, and before he knew it he was moving at such a fast pace that he couldn't will himself to stop, even though Lucy was begging him to slow down.

However, contrary to Lucy's pleas, Gray could feel her clench with every thrust. It didn't take long before her hips started to move in accordance to the rhythm, and eventually her pleas turned into moans.

Lucy had never felt so full in all her life. She could feel him him hitting something inside of her that made her see stars, and she begged him to hit again every time he missed. Gray on the other hand loved the way she squeezed him to the point of it almost being unbearable. With every thrust, he could feel her womb sucking him in and holding onto his dick, asking for his seed.

Lucy could feel her body reacting to him, wanting him and she loved that everything he did to her seemed to triple her need for him. Gray seemed to notice this so he continued to play with her body and touched every part of it that he could get his hands on. It didn't take long for Lucy to be too far gone in her own pleasure to notice anything going on around her, and Gray wasn't far behind her.

Lucy could feel the difference in him as he grew larger and the rhythm started to slow. She had started to think something was wrong until she felt warm liquid gather inside of her and she knew he had just reached his high. She had a moment to feel the sperm and how it coated the inside of her, and got her to learn a new part of her body that she had never known before. Gray continued to move in and out of her.

In the end, pleasure was the one thing left in the room, two bodies moved to produce more and they had no intention to stop until they were satisfied. Hazy hours passed with both of them exploring and enjoying each others bodies. They had both reached their peak too many times to count, and they still didn't feel contented, yet no matter how they kept at it the energy never ran out.

Eternity passed for the both of them as they enjoyed each other before they felt their energy leaving and the lust receding. They slowed down and looked into each other's eyes as they both came one last time. That was the moment all energy left them as they both collapsed.

* * *

Gray slowly opened his eyes to the beautiful blue color of the sky, his mind still on the events that he had relived. It had felt so real. If he hadn't known any better, he would've thought that it just happened.

"Well, welcome back, did you enjoy your memory?" Loke asked as he looked down on him, successfully blocking the sky from Gray's view.

"Would be a lie to say I didn't. I am a man after all," Gray answered as he sat up and rubbed his head, feeling a little sore since he had been lying still on an uncomfortable surface for some time.

"How long was I gone?" he asked while looking towards the sun, trying to figure out it's position.

"About three hours. Weird really, Lucy was only gone two. I wonder why you weren't gone the same time. You experienced the same things." Loke answered and then pondered on a question that he himself had asked that, quite frankly, Gray didn't care about.

Gray's mind was on the event that he had forgotten till now, and he didn't know whether to be happy about the fact that it was somewhat consensual, or angry over the fact that it had all been his own fault.

In the end, his mind brought him to the actual event. He couldn't help the blush that came from the best sex he had ever had in his life, and he didn't even know it until now. He thought about how Lucy had reacted to him and the detail of all the things they did, causing his blush to deepen without him knowing it, but he brought his hand over his mouth to try and hide it somewhat.

"Enjoying your newly found memories I see," Loke said, grinning. He laughed when he saw the flipped finger he received in reply.

He had new ammo to use against his friend now, and he was already planning all the things he could do with it, but first he had to find out something that had been bothering him, something that he didn't have the courage to ask Lucy. So, despite the urge to continue to tease his friend, he instead took on a more serious expression and sat down on the grass.

"How come you never noticed it?" Loke wondered and Gray looked up wondering what he meant, there were too many things that came to mind with that question. Why didn't he noticed the ring was cursed, or how come he never noticed the fact that she had become pregnant, or how could he not have realized that the hazy memories he thought were dreams were real and so on.

"What?" was the brilliant answer that came out of his mouth instead, but he didn't feel stupid for saying.

"Yeah sorry, I'll elaborate. Usually when you have sex there will be after traces right? Clothes on the floor, a disheveled look, or a simple hickey, I don't know exactly what happened but there will always be proof right? How come you never noticed right away?" Loke asked with what Gray could only guess was eons of experience. He laughed at the thought, but then he looked at him, knowing why he was curious.

"Because there weren't any. Hell, even though we had just done it, the memories were sealed right away, and I only saw them through my dreams. Anyway, the point is that after the ring had fulfilled its purpose, whatever that was, it returned everything to how it had been before it was even activated. So for me, and probably Lucy as well, none of that even happened. She tried on the ring, she took it off without anything happening, and we continued with the mission like nothing ever happened," Gray explained while trying to figure it out himself.

"All the things that you mentioned didn't exist with us. The only real proof that we even did it would be Koshi, and the memories now, I guess," Gray offered after he saw the dubious look Loke gave him.

Loke thought for a while before accepting Gray's explanation. Stranger things had happened in this world, and this wasn't bizarre enough to make it into his top ten. He nodded and then stood up, dusting of the grass that had stuck to his suit.

"Alright then, let's get back to the guild." Loke extended a hand to help Gray up. Gray didn't really want help, but since his muscles were sore and stiff he accepted the offer.

"Did Lucy ever say what she wanted after this?" Gray asked, wondering what he should do now that he had every puzzle piece.

"If you're talking about Koshi, then she told me to tell you that you didn't have to feel pressured about anything. You should take your time to decide if you want to be in his life or not, but if you choose to be, she doesn't want you to enter a commitment such as entering a child's life with a vague determination." Loke repeated the words Lucy had said to him before he had left to show Gray his memories.

"As your friend, however, I know that you would never do anything half-assed, meaning that I also know that you're going to do the right thing," Loke said as an afterthought when he saw that Gray's anger was rising with each word that Lucy had said. Although Loke knew she had said it because she didn't want Koshi to feel abandoned after getting to learn who his father was because Gray wasn't able to handle it, but she really should give their ex-teammate some credit. He was better than that.

"Alright, you think that I could get to talk to her, and this time not get sent away? We really need to sit down and discuss some things." Gray said, not bothering to heed Lucy's words. He had decided before seeing the memories that he was going to be in his son's life.

"Depends on you. As long as you don't hurt her again, then sure," Loke answered with a shrug, and Gray winced, remembering why he had even been sent away in the first place.

"Alright, you mind telling her that I'll be there in about a week or so?" Gray told Loke who nodded. He didn't mind. He had to tell Lucy how everything went anyway, so delivering a message shouldn't be a problem.

"If you want, I'm sure she wouldn't mind sending Auriga to pick you up," Loke added as an afterthought as he pushed up his glasses closer to his eyes, wondering why Gray had needed a week before he would arrive.

"I guess, but I need to pick up a few things first so could you give me about 3 days?" Gray explained but didn't elaborate on what it was that he was going to do.

Loke nodded before he stepped closer and put his hand on Gray's shoulder. It only took a few seconds before they were back in the guild with a big poof, alerting everybody there that they had arrived, and at the same time left in the first place. Loke patted Grays back, wishing him luck as he saw some of the angered people and left without a word. Gray cursed his name before he turned to the people glaring at him. He held up his hands with a sheepish smile, showing no ill.

"Alright, everybody calm down, I can explain," Gray offered, but he had a feeling that he was still going to get chewed out for leaving anyways.

Lucy looked out the window towards the settling sun and sighed, "I see. Thank you Loke, you shouldn't really have to this but I still appreciate it that you do." Lucy smiled as she turned towards him and saw him huff at her words, making her giggle.

"I know, I know, you would do anything for me because you are a spirit, but before that you are a person. I'm sure you have your own life to worry about without taking care of mine," Lucy said somewhat sadly. Loke grinned because no matter how many times they had this conversation she would still have this stupid mindset.

"Alright, I'll prepare for his arrival then. Would you mind picking him up when he is ready?" Lucy asked Loke as she approached him and put a hand on his shoulder to show her appreciation.

"Of course my lady, anything for you," Loke said happily. Lucy sighed before shaking her head. "Stupid Lion," were the mutters Loke could hear before she left the room. He laughed at her, things were finally going the way they were supposed to be.


	6. A New Life

**Alright so, I'm updating an unfinished version cause I haven't been able to get a hold of my Beta the last month... :(**

**You've all been waiting for a while, so here you guys go, although the chapter was finished a while back I haven't uploaded it since I wanted it beta read but oh well.**

**Now the other reason as to why it's late is because I've been cooperating with that anon in writing an Lucy x Natsu story that well turned out weird...**

**It's kind of cliche with the whole she's my mate thing except it's allot worse, in the violence part, in this story it was kind of consensual sex. In that one it's all out rape. Which is making me doubt if I should post it or not. I mean it's such a waste since it's been written but on the other hand it's mixed with rape, beastiality, force and whatnot. It's worse than M, really guys, help me decide what to do with it, post or not?**

**Anyway**** enjoy this story! I've already begun writing the next chapter so don't worry :D Also as soon as my Beta gets in touch I'll upload the proofread chapter. **

* * *

The Ice In Our Stars Chapter 6 - A new Life

The guild didn't let him leave until he had explained everything that had been going on between Lucy and him and what role Loke had had in it.

He tried to be as honest as he could but some things he had kept a secret, like the fact that it was somewhat his fault that everything had happened in the first place, they would've killed him if he had told them that, besides he was planning on making it up to her as soon as he could.

It took another week before he had his orders in affair and called for Loke to bring him to the mansion, truthfully he had gotten everything done in two days, he just had to find the courage that had escaped out the window.

Loke on the other hand had immediately understood and had no qualms about making fun of him, which resulted in him punching the living daylights out of him and that didn't turn out as good because all Loke did was laugh at him which in turn made Gray wonder if he had gotten weaker of the years.

So after finally getting his nerves in order with the fact that he had to ride that darn carriage again willingly this time, they had left. It took a few minutes before they arrived and it was far sooner than Gray had wished for, but at the moment he didn't care, right now he just wanted to get rid of his sickness.

"You know, you and your brother have allot more in common than you think." Loke said after observing Gray as he tried to get rid of the nausea by squatting down.

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" Gray asked as he tried to get his mind on other things. Loke shrugged a little before he pushed his sunglasses closer, "Take it however you want, I'm just stating facts." He looked towards the entrance searching for Lucy, she should be on her way since Arigua had already returned.

"Alright I'm good, I'm good, ok let's go." Gray mumbled quietly before he stood up and then felt the nausea returning because he stood up too soon, "Nope, not yet." he returned to his previous position and sat calmly. Loke laughed at him and started patting his back to try and help him a little.

"Are you alright?" Lucy asked softly as she approached them, wondering if anything serious had happened to them since they were on the ground.

"He's fine, it's just the motion sickness" Loke explained as he stood up and greeted her with a nod that she returned.

"It's nice to see you again Gray, this time let me properly welcome you." Lucy said with a smile as she waited for him to get up.

"Yeah, about that. I'm sorry for what happened last time, I didn't mean to" Gray said quickly as he apologized.

"Don't worry, I know it must've been a huge shock for you, besides I heard that Loke had settled everything" Lucy laughed a little as she looked at the lion who grinned a little. Gray noticed and chuckled remembering the punch that he had gotten and then relaxed, Lucy was never one to hold a grudge.

"Oh trust me he did" Gray answered as he rubbed his chin a little.

"Well then since you're feeling better, please follow me and I'll show you to your room, Virgo already delivered your belongings" Lucy smiled as she stepped aside a little to show him that he should come with her. He didn't hesitate as he followed her around and she explained everything as they walked.

"Over here is my room, and the room next to it is Koshi's, my father's room is at at the west wing, after Koshi was born he cried a lot and since I didn't want to disturb my father I chose the rooms that was the furthest away." Lucy explained while walking and pointing to some doors.

"Anyway your room is over here, make yourself comfortable and then when you're ready we can talk about Koshi." Lucy explained to him as she opened the door and allowed him to enter in order to make himself at home, she left Loke there and walked to her office to wait for him.

"You know, she's really taking this calmly" Gray said after he watched her walk away.

"Well unlike you she had years to think about what she was going to do if you ever showed up, I'm sure she's imagined over thousands of scenarios of how this is going to play out, actually scratch that, I know she has over thousands of them cause she's forced me to listen to most of them." Loke explained as he sat down in the sofa unfazed about everything.

"And what happens in those scenarios after this?" Gray asked curiously while he rummaged through his bags so that he could get organized and stall.

"Well, considering you're not destroying the house or threatening her in any way I would say the talk." Loke answered with a grin.

"The talk?" Gray asked as he looked up at his friend not understanding the meaning.

"Yeah, where do you wanna go from here, when should you be introduced to your son, how it should be done and so on and on." Loke answered as he rolled his hand a little. Gray nodded somewhat considering it, it did make sense.

"Wait a minute, why would I be destroying the place?" Gray wondered out loud as he realized what Loke had said.

"Oh trust me when I say that she has had weirder thoughts about how you would react, although most of them were when she was still pregnant and a hormone wreck so her imagination ran a little wild during those times" Loke explained the best he could, even he wasn't really sure how Lucy's mind had been working during that time.

A moment of silence ensued between them while Gray considered his next options, so much has happened in these few weeks that had had so much affect in his life that his mind was a mess, but something Loke had said was ringing out the loudest.

"Thank you for being there for her, you know when I wasn't" Gray said as he scratched his head a little embarrassed. The thankful feelings that was put behind the words surprised Loke enough to cause his eyes to widen.

"I'll always be there for her, no matter what." Loke said in return a little happy for the gratefulness he received in those words, he would've done it regardless but it was nice to know that it was appreciated.

"I'm sure you will" Gray muttered before he gave up on his luggage, he had more important things to deal with anyways. "You think you can take me to her?" Gray asked as he threw most of the cases in a corner so that it looked a little organized.

"No problem, you done?" Loke asked as he stood up and adjusted his suit.

"Nope, but screw it, I'll get to it later" Gray answered as he followed him.

"You do know that you probably won't fix that right?" Loke said casually after a while of walking already bored with the silence. Gray glanced at Loke before he released a sigh, and scratched his head.

"Yeah, but who cares, as long as I have a pair of pants I'll be fine. I've never been one to wear clothes anyway" Gray answered as he watched the different things hanging on the walls they walked by. He noticed Loke looking a little uncertain as he drew his hands through his hair.

"What?" Gray asked after a while of enjoying Loke hesitate.

"Don't take this the wrong way but that isn't really appropriate here… It was fine for Fairy Tail, but here, in this society you need to keep your clothes on." Loke explained as gently as he could, when he thought about it it probably wasn't even ok to get naked in Fairy Tail, it was just that everyone had gotten used to it.

Gray sighed and nodded understanding where his friends was coming from, in higher social life you didn't really take your clothes off just anywhere.

"Fine, I'll try but I won't make any promises" Gray muttered eventually after a while of thinking.

Loke appreciated the gesture and knew his friend would follow up on it the best he could.

Fortunately they had arrived and the moment of truth was there.

"Here we are" Loke knocked on the door and walked in without waiting.

"We're here Lucy," Loke announced happily ignoring Gray and approaching Lucy who was sitting by the desk reading some papers.

"Has it ever occurred for you to wait for an answer before you enter?" Lucy asked as she looked at them approaching her.

"It has, has it ever occurred to you that I will find out about whatever it is you're hiding from me." Loke returned with a nonchalant attitude as he gestured to her desk filled with papers.

"Perhaps but by then I will have resolved it." Lucy answered with a knowing smile.

"Never mind about that now," She waved her hand in the air as she stood up and approached them.

"Hi Gray, it's been a while. How are you doing? You know with everything going on?" Lucy asked as she guided him to the seating area. She waited for him to sit down before serving him a cold drink, just the way he likes it.

"In all honesty, overwhelmed. I mean I haven't heard from you for over, oh I don't know 5 years and then my brother tells me I have a kid. So yeah, that's how I feel" Gray answered in one long breath while Lucy sat calmly listening.

"May I ask something?" Lucy carefully asked after Gray had caught his breath a little, he looked at her and then nodded.

"How did you know Koshi was yours? I mean I know that I'm not the best actress around but I was fairly convinced that I had successfully deceived Lyon." Lucy explained with a brooding expression.

"Actually I'm curious about that too." Loke added as he sat down in a chair next to Lucy. Gray looked at them both before he sighed.

"The memories, you weren't the only with them you know, although I have to admit that I was doubting myself when I thought that it might be my kid. I didn't even believe it at first, especially when Lyon told me that he met another ice magician our age, but there were too many coincidences that it became suspicious." Gray explained as he looked down toward his interlocked hands.

"So everything was so perfectly done it became suspicious, talk about shooting yourself in the foot" Loke said with a laugh and Lucy gave him a glare.

"No, that's not true, I think that if I hadn't had the remembrance of those memories you guys would have pull it of, not that I know why you would want that." Gray explained while wondering why they had wanted to keep it a secret.

"I suppose that's plausible, your memories was the only thing I had not considered, I always thought that I was the only one with them. If I had known…" Lucy wondered off as she thought about various things in the blink of a few seconds, leaving the two men in the room to glance at each other while wondering what it was that she had thought about.

"Lucy?" Loke asked cautiously as he put his hand on her shoulder trying to bring her back to the present and not the abyss that was her mind sometimes. She immediately looked up at him and gave an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry I let my mind wander for a second." Lucy explained as she put her hand on his and gave it squeeze before returning her attention to Gray.

"If you had known then what?" Gray wondered.

"One of the biggest reasons I never told you was because I was afraid you would call me a liar of some sorts. I had figured that the reason I still remembered was because I had gotten pregnant which had caused the magic to falter. If I had known I probably would have acted differently." Lucy explained with a bitter laugh.

"Why didn't you ask? We've been through hell and back, I would never call you a liar. Had you told me I would've believed you, you were always the smart one and never did anything without a reason" Gray tried to understand her choices the best he could but it hurt that she didn't believe him enough to even ask.

"I told you so" Loke laughed as he gave her a Cheshire grin, which Lucy ignored perfectly.

"Fear I suppose, hormones affecting your judgement. Besides at the time you were dating Juvia, and you are both my friends. I didn't want to jeopardize anything between the two of you, especially when everything was going so well." Lucy explained as she gave her reasons.

"So you just decided to handle everything on your own?" Gray asked a little annoyed at her sense of duty right now.

"I wouldn't say that, I wasn't all alone, I had Loke and all of my spirits by my side, when you're an celestial magician it's practically impossible to be alone." Lucy answered with a bright smile happily taking pride in her spirits.

"Oh, and my father" She said as an afterthought.

"But you could've still-"

"Could've, would've, should've. There is no point in dwelling in the past Gray, what's done is done. All we can do now is look forward" Lucy interrupted him already bored with bickering back and forth about the same thing.

"Yeah, that's true." Gray sighed, everything Lucy said was true but he still had difficulty understanding her choices. Thinking about it he probably would all his life.

"Koshi really wants to meet you, you know. Last time you here you were never introduced so he still doesn't know who you are" Lucy said as she picked up her tea and took a sip.

"Yeah, that's my fault considering how I acted" Gray laughed bitterly, he had only gotten a glimpsed at his son before he had been overwhelmed with rage.

"That's not true, I was the one who asked him to leave, I didn't want you to leave a bad impression on him as his father" Lucy said with a sigh, it was so typical of Gray to try and take all the blame.

"Thanks I guess" Gray muttered,

"Anyway, how and when do you want to meet him?" Loke asked excited over the fact that Koshi would be able to finally meet his father, they had had their little explaining situation and had to get important stuff.

"And why are you the one asking that question?" Lucy asked with a laugh.

"You were taking too long, might as well" Loke shrugged.

"He's right though, we should discuss how it's going to happen." Gray added all of a sudden getting nervous.

"Yeah, that's true. I could introduce you right now if you want, as soon as he gets home from the trip with my father." Lucy said, already planning everything in her head.

"Are you sure that's a smart move?" Loke said unsure of her thinking.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Lucy wondered

"Well how would you feel if you suddenly get introduced to someone that's your father, that hasn't been in your life, and then all of a sudden pop up and here he is" Loke said as he exaggerated a little to prove his point.

"Then how do you suggest it should go down?" Lucy asked curious how he wanted it to happen.

"How about telling him beforehand that his father is here and then introduce Gray" Loke suggested and Gray agreed, that seemed more logical then to surprise a five year old with some big news.

"I thought that was implied, of course I wouldn't just bring a stranger in front of my son and introduce him as his father without explaining." Lucy said and gave a little head shake.

"Then say that" Loke said a little louder, he wasn't a mind reader, although now that that he thought about it, it did make more sense.

"Alright then, as soon as they get home I'll explain everything to him and then you will be able to meet him." Lucy said as she stood up and walked towards her desk to pick up a straight oval ring.

"Here, this is my family's crest, wear it all the time. Use it as identification, as long as people know you're from this family nothing should happen to you although i doubt that you wouldn't be able to defend yourself if it did, but this is far more easier to use." Lucy said a she handed the ring to Gray with a giggle. He accepted and put it on and noticed that the ring adapted itself to his finger and he wondered if Lucy did that on purpose.

"This time you get to know how it feels, although this ring won't give any consequences." Lucy said as she walked away towards the doors with a laugh, and Gray gave a chuckle.

"What was that about?" Loke asked as he pointed towards the doors where Lucy left with his thumbs.

"Inside joke" Gray explained as he started to walk towards his room.

It took a few more hours before Koshi and his grandfather returned from their trip, and by then Lucy was waiting for them in the lobby.

"MOM! Guess what! Grandpa bought me a book about ice magic! It's so cool there are allot more spells that I can use, there is even one that allows me to create a ice creature with a mind of its own, how cool isn't that." Koshi screamed as he ran towards his mother and gave her a hug.

"That's great honey, I'm so happy for you." Lucy said and bent down to give her son a kiss.

"I have something important to talk to you about so can you please got to your room?" Lucy asked and watched her father as she did.

"I didn't do it" Koshi immediately answered and it caused Lucy to raise an eyebrow in question.

"What exactly didn't you do?" She asked as she stood up with a hand on her hip in a scowling way.

"Nothing never mind!" Koshi screamed as he ran away while his mother and grandfather watched him go.

"Really dad? A spell book? I thought I told you to not buy him anything while you were out this time" Lucy scolded with a frown.

"It is a grandfather's duty to spoil his grandson." Jude answered not at all bothered by her scolding.

"Never mind that now, what is going on?" He asked seriously instead and gave his daughter a stern look.

"Gray is here, and I was planning on introducing them" Lucy simply explained, there was no point in stalling.

"I don't like it when secrets are being kept from me Lucy, you should know that. This is something that you should have told me." Jude spoke with a louder voice than necessary to prove his point.

"I know you dad, if I had informed you of what was going on you would've wanted to talk to him, and right now the last thing I need is you scaring him off" Lucy explained and gave her father a knowing smile.

"Hmph, it's only natural that I would want to meet the man that fathered my grandson." Jude answered with a raised chin not showing any guilt.

"But for this one time, I suppose I could leave him alone until he gets accustomed to things around here" He muttered begrudgingly knowing his daughter all too well.

"Thank you father, I knew you would see reason" Lucy said with a giggle and gave her father a small kiss on the cheek and then left to go to her son and explain the situation to him.

His door was wide open when she arrived which she found strange but the explanation was simple, he had been in a hurry to get to his room to read the book that he had just received, all his clothes had been left on the floor to the path to the desk. She sighed and shook her head, but picked them up as she walked towards him.

"What have I told you about leaving things on the floor?" Lucy asked when she stopped at his desk, her hands full of things.

"Not to leave them?" Koshi asked a little embarrassed that he had been caught. Lucy gave a nick of her head but let it drop, she had more important things to address.

"Sweetie, I would like to talk to you about something important and I need to you to listen" Lucy explained calmly and guided him to the bed where she sat down with him.

"Your dad is here and he wants to meet you," Lucy said calmly, she had no idea how he would react so she didn't know how she was going the begin the conversation. So she decided it was easier to tell him as it is and then watch his reaction and act accordingly.

"Dad? I have a dad?" Koshi asked quietly and the question surprised Lucy, it was true that they had never talked about it but she had never thought that he thought that he didn't have one.

"Of course you do, and he's here today to meet you. Would you like to meet him?" Lucy asked and brushed away some of his hair behind his ear. Koshi surprised her when he shook his head no, and she smiled.

"He's an ice magician, just like you. He can teach you far more spells than any book can." Lucy tempted him and it seemed to be working because he was looking at her questioningly.

"Really?" Koshi asked quietly and looked at his mother underneath his bangs.

"Of course, I promise you that it will go well" Lucy said and stood up extending her hand for her son to take so that they could meet Gray.

He took it but didn't say anything, and Lucy started the small walk to Gray's room and when she stood at his door she looked at Koshi a little before she knocked on the door and waited.

Gray opened the door a few second layers and gave Lucy a raised eyebrow.

"Gray, I would like you to meet your son, Koshi" Lucy explained as she gestured towards the hem of her dress where Koshi was hiding behind.

"Koshi, come and say hi to your dad." Lucy said as she looked down at him and pulled at her dress revealing him standing with his hands in front of his chest a little afraid, he had remembered who this man was, he was the angry man that had once screamed at his mother.

Nevertheless he looked him in the eye a and raised a hand and waved. "Hi" Koshi quickly said and then ran behind Lucy again.

Gray gave Lucy a glance before he kneeled down and waited for Koshi to come back, he didn't but he did try and glance at him so Gray figured it was the best he would get.

"Hi Koshi, it's nice to finally meet you" Gray said softly trying not to scare him away.

Koshi looked at him and then at Lucy who gave him a nod, which he took as a sign that it was safe so he stepped forward.

"Are you an ice magician like me?" Koshi asked which surprised Gray, of all the questions he could've asked, it was that one.

"Yes I am, just like you" Gray answered with a chuckle. Koshi nodded at the answer and then looked down at his shoes, both Gray and Lucy noticed and wondered what had happened but Lucy signaled Gray to let Koshi take his time, which he did.

"Do you hate me?" Koshi asked even quieter while playing with his fingers.

"What?! Of course not" Gray quickly said as the question registered.

"Then why weren't you here?" Koshi quickly said getting a little angry.

"I wanted to, I just didn't-" Gray stuttered getting flustered and looking at Lucy begging for help with his eyes. She sighed before she bent down to be closer to the both of them.

"Sweetie, it's not his fault. I never told him about you" Lucy explained and Gray nodded madly.

The explanation shocked Koshi into silence and he stood there for a second before he whipped his head up at his mother.

"Why not?! Were you that ashamed of me?!" Koshi screamed, and Gray looked on between them confused.

"Of course not-"

"Then what? Didn't you think that I had a right to a father?!" Koshi screamed back interrupting his mother.

"It wasn't like that-"

"I can't believe this! I hate you!" Koshi screamed before he ran off leaving his parents behind with angry tears flowing down his face.

Both Lucy and Gray stood up a little shocked at what had happened. Lucy eventually sighed before looking at Gray.

"Well that could've gone better" She said with a grimace.

"You think?" Gray answered still bewildered by everything.

"Shouldn't we go look for him? Gray asked as they walked towards the entrance door together. Lucy gave him a glance that he didn't noticed and then nodded.

"I suppose, this isn't the first time he's stormed off after being angry, but it is the first time it's been news this big" Lucy explained.

"You search outside and I'll try and find him inside" Lucy said and Gray gave a nod before they parted ways at the door.

It took less time than expected to find him because all Gray had to do was follow the ice that had been left, he had felt a sense of pride as he followed it eventually finding his son with some ice animals surrounding him. He didn't know what to do so he approached him and sat down next to him in silence and waited.

"I always thought you hated me and didn't want to meet me because of that" Koshi finally said and Gray looked at him understanding.

"And then it turns out you didn't even know I existed" Koshi said angrily.

Gray was at loss, he had no idea what to do so he opted for something Ur had always done to him when he was feeling down. He put his hand on his head and patted him a little.

"I could never hate you" Gray said after Koshi had stopped crying. Koshi nodded a little happy about that.

"Don't blame your mother, she had her reasons why she never told me." Gray explained while looking at the clouds. Koshi looked unconvinced but didn't comment.

"Where were you until now?" Koshi asked while he created another creature.

"At Fairy Tail" Gray answered honestly.

"Fairy… Tail?" Koshi said wondering about the strange name. Gray looked shocked for a second wondering why Lucy had never told him about them.

"Yeah, it's a magician's guild. Your mother used to be a member, that's actually how we met." Gray explained with a smile. Koshi noticed and wondered how it must be like.

"Are there more ice magicians there?" He asked getting a little excited about it.

"No, at Fairy Tail I'm the only one, but Leon is at Lamia Scale" Gray said after a while remembering that he had met his brother who had taught him ice magic, which now that he thought about it pissed him off a little. He should've been the one to teach him.

"Is Leon also in a guild?" Koshi asked a little more excitedly now that he heard that his teacher was also at one.

"Most magicians are, it's a place where you get to practice magic and work at the same time. You use magic to help people" Gray explained, he didn't really know if a 5 year old could understand all of this but he seemed to be quite intelligent for his age. Koshi listened and nodded at every word, a guild seemed awesome.

"Let's go" Koshi suddenly said and stood up. Gray looked at him confused.

"Go where?"

"To Fairy Tail, let's go now" Koshi said as he tried to pull Gray up so that they could leave.

"We can't just leave, what about Lucy-"

"I don't care, she's been lying to me all this time. If you don't leave with me then I'll just go by myself" Koshi quickly threatened backing away ready to run if he tried to capture him.

Gray sighed and held his head trying to figure this out. He supposed they could leave, it was better for him to be with someone than to risk him leaving on his own… But he needed to tell Lucy somehow about what is going on.

"Ok, we can go, just hold on for a second" Gray finally said as he held his hands up still trying to think this out. He looked behind his son and saw a figure running towards them so he stood up.

"There you guys are" Loke said as he ran up to them and Gray let out a breath of air.

"Le-Lo! Good you're here!" Koshi screamed happily running up to him and hugged the parts that he could reach. Loke patted his head before he lifted him up in his arms.

"Are you okay?" Loke asked him and looked him over in his arms.

"I'm fine!" Koshi said while laughing.

"Good, now come one let's go back home" Loke said and turned around to walk back home.

"No!" Koshi screamed and started squirming in Lokes arms.

"No?" Loke asked while putting him down before he fell and got hurt.

"I'm not going home! I'm going to Fairy Tail with dad!" Koshi screamed and ran to hide behind Gray who followed him with his eyes.

"Fairy Tail?" Loke asked and looked at Gray with an raised eyebrow.

"I swear I had nothing to do with that" Gray quickly said with raised hands.

"Then why?" Loke asked and crossed his arms.

"He asked where I've been and I told him honestly at the guild and then told him what kind of place it was, then he decided he wanted to go." Gray explained quickly. Loke noticed Koshi nodding so he sighed, somewhat understanding.

"You can't just leave Koshi. What about your mother?" Loke asked all of a sudden feeling tired.

"I don't care, she lied to me!" Koshi screamed getting angry. Loke pushed his glasses closer before he pinched his nose, the kid had gotten his mother's stubbornness.

"And how are you going to get there? It takes around a day to get there." Loke asked seriously, humoring him for a second. The question surprised Koshi a little, he hadn't thought about it.

"Arigua will take us!" Koshi suddenly said happy of the solution he had come up with. Loke had to give a laugh.

"You do know Arigua is your mother's spirit, right? If you want to borrow him you would need to ask for hers permission" Loke explained with a smug expression.

"No, I don't" Koshi said annoyed at Loki.

"You don't?"

"Nope, not at all."

"How do you figure?" Loke eventually asked knowing that they could continue the charad for an hour if needed.

"You're gonna switch places with him" Koshi said and pointed a finger at Loke who took a step back.

"I can't do that" Loke stuttered a little, he didn't know that Koshi knew about that.

"Mom told me about it, that you can switch with spirits. You've done it before and the contractor doesn't feel a thing" Koshi said and crossed his arms happy that he had remembered the story his mother had told him.

"Never thought I'd see the day that I would see a five year old outsmart you" Gray said with a laugh and it earned him a glare from Loke.

"If you don't then I'll run away, maybe not now since there are two against one but one day when you least suspect it I'll disappear." Koshi threatened and Loke eyes widened, he wouldn't?

He quickly looked at Gray for confirmation who solemnly nodded confirming that he would go through with his threat.

"I can't believe I'm going to do this" Loke muttered and held his head, he would have to tell Lucy as soon as Arigua had returned to the celestial realm.

"Alright fine. GIve me a second I need to tell Arigua to come." Loke muttered and made a connection to his own realm and Arigua in it to explain that the situation.

"Take care Gray" Loke said seriously before he disappeared and got replaced. Gray sighed, that wasn't meant for him, Loke had just warned him to take care of Koshi.

"Let's go!" Koshi screamed and climbed on the carriage, jumping excitedly. Gray didn't hesitate as he climbed on, even if he didn't want to he couldn't risk the chance that the stupid carriage left without him.

"Arigua, we need to get to Fairy Tail, can you get us there?" Koshi asked the spirit as he jumped up and down in the carriage.

Arigua nodded, he didn't bother to explain that he needed a destination from Koshi, but since he didn't know where Fairy tail was it was kind of hard. So he looked into the man's memories instead and found out where they were supposed to go, anybody that had boarded his carriage had automatically given him permission to look into their memories.

It didn't take long until they were in the air and on their way. He had hurried on this particular trip because he needed to switch places as soon as possible so that Leo could inform their contractor of everything happening. Unfortunately that also meant that he had gone faster than the speed that he normally uses so it had affected his passengers more than usually.

He didn't bother to explain anything and left them at the curb before he returned and Leo took his place at the mansion.

Loke didn't waste any time and ran to find Lucy immediately. He expected her to run around the house frantically searching for Koshi or Gray but instead he found her calmly sitting by her desk reading some papers.

"There you are, Lucy, Koshi left." Loke said in between breaths trying to catch his. She gave him a small glance and put down the papers she was holding.

"I see, thank you" Lucy simply said and gave him her attention.

"Thank you? No wait, you don't understand, he left with Gray to Fairy Tail, Arigua even brought them there." Loke quickly explained and walked closer to her.

"Good" Lucy simply said and intertwined her fingers.

"Good? How could this be good? Your son just left you!" Loke screamed not understanding anything right now.

"He didn't just leave with anybody, it was with his father. He's safe with him." Lucy said before she leaned back a little exhausted.

"Safe? What are you-" Loke stopped talking as the gears in his mind started turning.

"You… planned this. You wanted Koshi to get angry and leave." Loke incriminated.

"Gray as well, him appearing right after Leon was here was strange, especially since he had signed a contract not to talk about it… Lucy what exactly are you hiding?!" Loke screamed and slammed his hands on the desk.

"The safest place for Koshi right now is at Fairy Tail, he's in a guild filled with magicians that would rather die than abandon a guild mate." Lucy explained as she stood up and walked towards the window, enjoying the heat of the sun rays on her skin.

"That still doesn't answer my question, what kind of a mess have you gotten into so that Koshi would need to be that protected?" Loke asked now seriously getting concerned for his friend.

"All in good time Loke." Lucy said and turned around with a sad apologetic smile, before she forced close his gate leaving her alone in her office.

"All in good time" she repeated and turned back to the window where she looked at her reflection in the glass, determination filling her eyes.


	7. Welcome to Fairy Tail

**Alright, next chapter is up, it's not Beta read so deal with that :D**

**I had to change the direction of the story because of the new chapters in the real manga, Natsu is END and he dies if Zeref dies, shocker! So I've been trying to not go to off with the whole story and stil connect it to the manga a little bit but it's harder than I thought. ^.^**

**Anyway I got asked how long I'm planning on making this book and I don't want to make it too long so I'm going to wrap it up in 13 chapters, probably less, I'm giving myself a few extra chapters just in case :p oh, and I'll probably have an epilogue too, but I promise that I won't make it MORE than 13, honest. **

* * *

The Ice in Our Stars Chapter 7 - Welcome to Fairy Tail.

"Oh god I hate that carriage, why couldn't she have gotten some teleporter? No she had to get a freaking super transporter." Gray muttered as he sat down once again trying to get rid of the nausea. He had just dealt with this a couple of hours ago.

"Are you ok?" Koshi asked and started rubbing his father's back a little.

"How come you're ok?" Gray asked and watched his son unaffected by the ride.

Koshi thought about it but couldn't really find a reason so he shook his shoulders.

"Used to it?" It came out as a question but Gray nodded at the answer.

"What are you up to now ice princess?" A shouting voice could be heard as it approached them. Gray let out a low growl, of all the people…

"Go away flame head, I don't have any time to deal with you" Gray said loudly and held his head, too much had happened and he was feeling the headache coming.

Natsu looked down at his friend and noticed a smaller figure behind him.

"Dude there's someone behind you" Natsu said as he pointed while trying to get a better. look.

"I could say the same for you" Gray answered and nicked his head towards his friends feet where a small figure was standing and giggling.

"Hi uncle Gray." She said and gave a small wave. Gray smiled towards her, no matter how he feels he would never take it out on a child.

"Hi Lina. Would you be so kind as to take your daddy away from here?" Gray asked hoping for the little girl that had stolen his friends heart from the first day to get him away from him. Unfortunately she signaled no and he sighed.

"Now back to the important stuff… Who's the one behind you?" Natsu asked and stepped closer.

Gray felt it as Koshi pushed himself closer to him in what he could only assume to be fear.

"Natsu, stop it now" Gray took a hold of his outstretched hand and stood up.

"You don't have to scare him for no reason, if you want to know I'll just introduce you" Gray explained harshly, he didn't want his sons first impression to be fear.

"I didn't mean to" Natsu said but stepped back understanding.

"Natsu, Lina meet Koshi Heartfilia, my son" Gray introduced and felt how the word hit wrong in his mouth. It was supposed to be Fullbuster and this wasn't supposed to be the first time he had to say them.

"Seriously!? Lucy's kid?" Natsu screamed shocked, he immediately approached the said child and took a good look.

"To bad, he should've gotten more of her looks" Natsu said with a sigh and raised his hands.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gray asked loudly while rolling up his sleeves.

"Ah? It means that you look like shit" Natsu barely got out of his mouth before he got socked punched a few feet away.

"You're no prize either, flame brain, Thank God Lina got her mother's brain!" Gray screamed back and chased after him.

"What was that you icicle?!" Natsu returned and gave a flame punch that Gray dodged and returned, before they knew it they had started a fight that neither felt like losing.

The two children were left standing there in silence watching their fathers fight, one was used to it and didn't really bother looking while the the other one was seeing it for the first time wondering if he should help or not.

"Don't worry about what Dad said, he only did it cause he was bored and wanted to fight" Lina explained to Koshi and gave a smile.

"I'm Lina, that's my dad over there." Lina introduced herself once again and pointed towards her dad that was getting thrown into another ally.

"Koshi" He simply said too intrigued about what was happening.

"So, you're uncle Gray's child?" Lina pushed while rocking back and forth on her heels.

Koshi glanced at her before he nodded, which in return made Lina pout, a little annoyed at the lack of interest.

"So, are you joining Fairy Tail?" She asked and noticed him tensing up. It made her wonder if she said something wrong and then thought that maybe he wasn't a magician like uncle Gray, which in turn made her apologetic and regretful.

"No, Yes, Maybe, I don't know" he fumbled over his words, he never thought about that, all he wanted to see was the place where his father was and where his parents had met.

"Fairy Tail welcomes everyone if you want to join." Lina happily said before she got pushed aside by some debris that had hit her because of her father's stupid bickering.

It had angered her enough that she had wanted to join the fight but she figured not talking to her father for a few days would do the trick, plus squealing on him to her mother was better.

Those thoughts left her when she heard Koshi laugh, and then realized the hilarity of the situation and couldn't help but laugh as well.

"I'm sorry, are you alright?" Koshi asked in between laughs and then extended his hand for her to take, she graciously accepted his help and stood up happy about the change in attitude.

"Yeah, thanks." Lina thanked and tried to fix everything that had become disheveled during her fall.

"So… Do you use fire like you father?" Koshi asked and observed how his father defended a fire spell with and icy one.

"No, I got my mom's magic. Take Over, I'm not very good at it yet. We kind of have to take over other creatures parts and use them as ours, and it's a little hard to do since I have an overprotective father." Lina explained with a sigh, she would have loved to learn more creatures but every time she tried her dad would jump in and hinder her.

Koshi didn't know how to respond, although he knew there were different kind of magics in the world he hadn't heard about this one, it seemed interesting, the idea to borrow an animal's strongest for yourself in a fight seemed genius.

"What about you?" Lina asked when she noticed him clamming up again.

"I have my father's magic, in other words Ice." Koshi said while nicking his head towards his father that was launching another attack using ice.

"Do they always fight like this?" Koshi asked wondering what grudge they have against each other for them to continue to bicker till now.

"Kinda, mom told me they've been at it since they were my age. Fighting over who's stronger, but she also said that it was a rival thing and that it's a fight that shows that they are friends." She explained somewhat not understanding.

"How long until they stop fighting?" Koshi wondered out loud and started playing with his fingers creating some minor ice at his fingertips, his teacher had told him to always practice. Lina noticed but didn't comment on it.

"Oh, it's actually easy breaking them up, all I have to do say one small sentence" Lina explained expertly with a finger in the air.

Koshi raised an eyebrow at her confidence.

"Want to see?" Lina asked with a smile. Koshi nodded and watched the fight wondering how she could break them up, they seemed far too gone in it to be able to stop at a mere sentence.

"Hi auntie Erza!" Lina screamed at the top of her lungs making sure they could hear her.

Everything stopped, the attacks, the insults even the hostility.

"Erza! Nobody is fighting here"

"Yeah, we're good friends" Natsu and Gray chorused, while hugging and jumping.

Lina immediately began laughing and Koshi joined in, she had every right to be confident, because she had stopped them with an sentence.

Gray was the first to notice that they had been set up and let go of Natsu, he saw his son laughing and he liked how it lit up his face. Children were supposed to be laughing and not crying.

"Lina, sweetie, what did I tell you about saying that?" Natsu asked the moment he realized he was tricked.

"It's payback for throwing that plank at me" Lina simply said and crossed her arms, while pouting.

"I would never throw a plank at you princess, it must've been stupid Gray" Natsu explained trying to push the blame away from him. He heard Gray cough but ignored it.

"You're the one that started the fight so it's your fault that the plank was even thrown at me" Lina argued, she knew that her dad had no comeback for that one since his mouth opened and closed unsure of what to say.

"That's the second time today that I've seen a child outsmart an adult" Gray said as he held his stomach while he laughed. Koshi gave a smile because he knew that the first time was him.

"Anyway sweetie, we need to go. Your mother wanted us to go pick up, uh, something." Natsu started but realized he had forgotten what they were supposed to do. He was so dead.

"She gave us a list daddy!" Lina said holding up the piece of paper her mother had given her in secret knowing that Natsu would forget.

"Oh thank god, good job Lina!" Natsu happily praised and ruffled up her head.

"Alright see you at the guild Ice Queen! You too Ice princess!" Natsu screamed as he started leaving.

"Bye bye, Koshi!" Lina screamed and waved like a lunatic happy for the new friend.

He waved back a little but didn't say anything.

"Am I supposed to be the Ice princess?" Koshi asked after they both disappeared from their sight.

"Probably, but don't worry about it, that's just Natsu, he's always like that" Gray answered.

"So what do you want to do now? I'll let you decide, want to go to the guild or my house so that you could get settled?" Gray asked after some serious consideration.

"I don't really have anything to fix, I left everything at home." Koshi said and tugged at his pockets showing that he had nothing.

"Right, right. On to the guild then!" Gray screamed and grabbed his sons hand to guide him, and not lose him.

"So, um. How long have you been a Fairy Tail Mage?" Koshi asked, trying to break the silence.

"About your age I guess, and I've been here ever since. Allot of my generation came here when they were young," Gray answered while he started thinking about how many of them had arrived as children.

"What about mom?"

"She got here later. Natsu was actually the one who brought her after he saved her from a human trafficking case. She then later on joined the guild and then we started a team with me, her, Natsu and Erza." Gray answered while reminiscing about old times. So much has happened since then.

"Who's Erza?" Koshi asked curiously.

"Erza is an equip mage a few years older than me. She was already in the guild when I arrived, she's like an older sister I guess. She's strong, she's even called Titania because of her strength." Gray explained, he only got more curious wondering how Lucy never told him about them with each question.

"Well you'll meet her soon enough, if she's here today" Gray said and ruffled the kid's hair. They had arrived in front of the guild.

Gray didn't hesitate as he walked inside, this was second nature to him, unfortunately it left Koshi with little time to get prepared and he followed him closely.

"Gray? You're back so soon? I thought you would be gone for a while?" Mira asked as she spotted him walking in the guild hall.

Gray walked towards the bar and stopped right before it, he picked up his son and sat him down on to the closest bar chair.

"Give me water and he'll have a milkshake?" It came out as a question and he looked down to see if it was alright. Koshi nodded immediately happy, his mom would make them for him and they would drink it together.

"Water? Are you sure?" Mira questioned the decision, it wasn't often people walked up to her and asked for water. Gray nodded, this wasn't the right time to drink, he had too many things to think about and alcohol wasn't going to help him.

"Ok, and what about you sweetie? What kind of milkshake would you like?" Mira asked and leaned over to him to get a better look, as far as she knew Gray wasn't on a mission, he had left on personal business so who did he bring back?

"Strawberry?" Koshi barely whispered a little uncomfortable with the bartender leaning so close to him.

Mira nodded but the words didn't register with her, now that she was closer she saw the resemblance between the man in front of her and the child. She quickly looked up at Gray then at the child, and then between them at such a fast pace that Gray wondered if her head would still be attached at the end. He did raise an eyebrow at her action but let her brain process the information that she no doubt realized.

"KYAH! Omg, omg! He's so cute! Gray why didn't you tell me he was coming, I would've prepared something." Mira screamed and drew the attention to the guild to herself.

"Sweetie, what's your name? Is your mother with you? How old are you? Can you use magic? And if so what kind?, look at these blond curls so cute!" Mira took some of his hair and fired questions at him at such a speed that Koshi wondered when she had time to breathe, he glanced towards his father and received a nod.

"My name is Koshi, I'm turning 5. Um, mom isn't with me, I came with dad. I use the same magic as him." Koshi answered and she squealed with each answer.

"Gray! He called you dad!" Mira happily exclaimed and jumped in the same spot, Gray looked at her curiously. Why wouldn't he, he was his father.

"Ok, honey. Give me a second I'll go get your milkshake ready, strawberry right? Just like your mother. Kyah, and after that you're gonna tell me everything about yourself ok, hold on." Mira said and ran to the back in a hurry, not wanting to miss anything.

In the meantime a crowd had gathered around the bar wanting to see the child they had heard so much about during the last month.

"Gray, hurry up and introduce us!" Wendy said and tugged at his shirt impatiently.

Gray looked at her and drew his hand through his hair.

"Alright fine, everyone, this kid over here is my son, his name is Koshi and he'll be staying with me for a while." Gray put his hands on his son, who looked around at the small crowd.

"Koshi the people over here are annoying loud people that are member of this guild. That's Wendy, over there is Cana, Macao and Romeo. The scary looking guy over there is called Gajeel and his wife Levy. Then we have Evergreen and Elfman, married. The bartender is Mirajane but called Mira. You already met Natsu and Lina. Whoever is not here right now I'll introduce later. Some might be on missions or haven't gotten here yet." Gray introduced smoothly and explained in the way. He heard some complains about the way he introduced them but shrugged them off.

"Ok, here's your shake honey, water for you." Mira said and handed them the drinks.

"Ok, now tell me everything. How long have you known ice magic?" Mira asked happily, Koshi took a sip of the milkshake and enjoyed the taste.

"Um, two or three months." Koshi answered while counting on his fingers.

The nest minutes were spent asking questions that could help figure out his character. Favorite things, hated, loved, and everything in between, Koshi barely had any time to breathe from all the questions he had to answer, but he liked it. At home there weren't any people interested like this, his mother and grandfather being the exception.

"How long are you going to stay?" Mira eventually asked, curious if Lucy would come and get him so that they could meet again.

"I don't know" Koshi answered and lowered his head, he felt a little bit guilty since he had ran away from home. Mira noticed and looked toward Gray for an explanation but all she received was a head shake.

"Well you're welcome to stay here as long as you like." Mira gave a smile, and Koshi nodded happy.

A loud boom interrupted the crowd and they looked towards the guild doors, Koshi tried to see as well but was too short.

"Mira, where is the master?" Erza asked loudly and approached the small crowd at the bar.

"He's out right now but should be back tomorrow. Is anything wrong?" Mira asked and gave her a cheesecake slice.

"I don't know yet. Something peculiar happened in the mission and I need to consult the master on it." Erza explained and took a big bite, it calmed her immediately. She kept on eating her cake in a bliss until she saw the small figure across the bar table looking at her curiously.

"Gray?"

"Yeah?"

"Is that who I think it is?" Erza asked and looked at her friend.

"Probably, God knows how your mind works." Gray said and took a sip.

"Erza, meet Koshi. Koshi this is Erza" Gray introduced after he Erza stopped glaring.

"You're Erza?!" Koshi screamed and looked at her in awe. Her name alone could stop fights and she was the strongest one here. Erza gave a nod, surprised by his eagerness.

"Lina told me about how strong and cool you were, and that your magic is the best." Koshi explained and jumped on his chair.

Gray wondered why his son was so excited but didn't dwell on it. Erza on the other hand blushed from the compliments and gave him a pat on his head, not knowing how to handle it.

Now it was Koshi times to ask the questions and he asked as many as he could and Erza answered them all. The crowd started thinning out leaving Gray, Erza and Koshi at the bar with Koshi questioning, Erza answering and Gray just sitting and listening.

Natsu and Lina eventually came with Lisanna and met, Lina immediately joined the conversation happy to be able to talk with someone her age.

Lisanna sat down with Gray and Natsu followed.

"He really looks like you" Lisanna said and Gray nodded.

"Is Lucy going to come back? You know, now that the secret is out." Lisanna asked and Mira leaned in curious. Natsu cheered up at the realization that she might be coming back.

"I don't know, none of this was planned, even coming here" Gray said with a sigh.

"What do you mean?" Lisanna asked and furrowed her eyebrows. Gray glanced at her and then proceeded to tell her everything that happened when he had gone over there. The fights, the explanations, and most importantly the outburst from his son's side.

"Wow, I can't even believe, wait does that mean that she doesn't know he's here, safe? Gray! You can't do that!" Lisanna scolded immediately turning angry, a mother worries. She should know and she would be damned if someone took her daughter across the country without telling her.

"No, I'm pretty sure she knows. Loke knew and he told her the moment he got back, relax." Gray told her with an chuckle.

"Alright, ice princess. What's the plan now? Just staying here forever and riding on towards the sunset with your son while Lucy is all alone?" Natsu asked annoyed that nobody took her side, sure it was true that they haven't talked in a long while and she had been keeping some big secrets but she was still their friend.

"Shut up flame head. It's not like that, but right now Koshi feels betrayed so he doesn't want to meet her. I did bring it up but he threatened to disappear and I would much rather have him here safe and sound then God knows where because I pushed him to far." Gray explained his reasoning and Natsu couldn't help but see the logic in it.

They didn't have anything more to say and continued to watch the children talk Erza's ear off. She indulged them the best she could but you could see that she wasn't used to the attention. The pink hue on her cheek was enough proof.

Eventually more people came and got introduced and then left, the day turned darker and in the evening they left.

They returned the next day and time moved that way until it had become a habit to live like that, and before they knew it enough time had gone by that months passed. 

* * *

"So Koshi want to go on a mission with me?" Lina asked and held up a flyer to him. Koshi gave it a quick glance before accepting, he liked doing missions with Lina, she was his first friend that was around his age.

"Ain't Mira, aunt Mira! He said yes, could you call and tell them we accepted?" Lina asked as she ran towards the bar. Mira chuckled at the scene, finding it too adorable. The next generation of Fairy Tail were just too cute for their own good.

They left as soon as Mira had given the clearance. The parents watched them go and reminisced about the time they had been at the exact same position in life. Until a thought popped up in Natsu's mind.

"Wait just a freaking second here Ice Queen! I just realized something, but your son better not aiming for Lina, she's way too good for him" Natsu screamed at his rival flaming up his hand in a threatening manner. Gray merely snorted and chugged a bit of his drink.

"Honey, listen, it's probably the other way around." Lisanna said with a laugh and Gray gave a grin.

"What?" Natsu asked his wife confused of the meaning.

"Lina is the one who likes Koshi." Lisanna clarified, and the shocked look on her husband's face was enough to make her start laughing again.

"No way? My little flower likes an icicle?" Natsu asked nobody in particular and staggered towards the bar in need of a stronger drink.

"Do not fret Natsu. I am sure that Koshi will make Lina happy, he is a good kid." Erza said as she approached him in the bar.

"The hell he is, my little girl isn't getting any guys until she's at least 30," Natsu argued and slammed his hand on the counter.

"We're around that age, and we had her when we were younger." Lisanna said with a sigh.

"That's different," Natsu countered.

"Because it was you?" Lisanna asked with a giggle, Gray decided it was his time to speak and stepped in, he gave his friend a pat on the back and smirked.

"Don't worry Natsu, when the time comes I'll be sure to have the birds and the bees talk with my boy, so you won't have to worry about anything." Gray said and immediately got hit with an fist throwing him across the room.

Gray didn't retaliate, instead he stood up calmly, and gave a smile. Natsu glared and launched into another attack, this one Gray returned mostly because he didn't feel like getting hit without a reason.

It created a mess in the guild and more people joined until eventually the whole guild was fighting each other.

"This place hasn't changed at all," a voice spoke out calmly, and it stopped the fighting immediately.

"Lucy?!"

Said person nodded her head and then asked Mira for a drink, who obliged immediately, too shocked to speak.

"So, is Makarov around?" Lucy eventually asked since it was obvious that nobody was going to start talking.

"Yeah, he's in his office, but Koshi just left. Hold on let me go and get him, if I hurry I should be able to catch up" Gray said fast already moving towards the door.

"No need to bother yourself with such trifle things." Lucy interrupted and waved her hand at him to stop him from going.

"Trifle? He's your son" Natsu questioned. Lucy gave him a look and then a dark chuckle.

"Would you call someone that abandons his mother and then doesn't keep in touch a son?" She asked in a monotone voice.

"That's… But there was a reason for it" Gray retaliated feeling a little guilty that he hadn't done more during this time.

"Nevertheless, I can't be bothered with him." Lucy said and stood up, she began walking towards the office leaving the people behind her shocked.

"Which guild is it?" Natsu questioned and it stopped her on the way. She gave a smile that turned into a laugh.

"I wouldn't expect any less from you" She said and then continued on her way, she entered without knocking and disappeared from their sight.

"Guild?" Erza questioned the dragon slayer.

"Yeah, I could feel the smell of magic ink on her." Natsu explained as he tapped his nose.

It took a few minutes of silence before Lucy came flying through the door breaking it and was thrown into the wall, creating a hole.

She didn't say anything and stood up while fixing her clothes, and then dusted off the debris that clung to her.

It shocked everyone so much that most were standing with their mouths opened wondering just what had happened.

"I thought better of you Lucy." Makarov screamed as he followed the mess he had created.

"Oh? How so? What did you know about me and my life exactly?" Lucy asked uninterested about his rant.

Her answer angered him and his magic started flaring around everyone in the guild.

"Master what's going on?!" Erza screamed trying to step in to stop him. He ignored her and continued his glaring at the blonde who continued to look uninterested.

"Is this the choice you're going to make, despite everything?" Makarov finally asked, magic flaring everywhere growing in intensity.

"Yes" Lucy simply answered, while growing annoyed at him.

"I see, well then. It's a parent's duty to punish their children when they do bad things, and you my child, has done some bad things" Makarov said and grew bigger with each word.

"Last time I checked I wasn't in Fairy Tail anymore" Lucy said completely unfazed by his growing stature.

"Even runaway children are still my children in the end." Makarov said, and started reaching for her. Nobody moved not sure what was going on.

Lucy on the other hand sighed, growing bored at the little charade.

"I don't have time for this, I came here to warn you out of courtesy." Lucy said and held her head while she shook it feeling herself getting more impatient as the seconds ticked by.

So she flared her own magic, bringing it up to his level without even breaking out in a sweat.

It shocked most members, although most of them had grown during this time Lucy's was abnormally high. You could easily tell that she had even more to spare. She brought up her hand and flicked it a little.

It's effect were immediate and Makarov shrunk to his original size. He looked down towards his hands not sure what had happened.

"What did you do to my magic child!?" He screamed at her feeling the fear of being powerless, he couldn't feel any of his magic at all.

"Don't worry, I merely drained you of it, as long as you rest it will come back normally." Lucy explained and then started walking towards the door.

"This isn't your magic!" Makarov screamed, trying to stop her from leaving so that he could convince her that what she was doing was wrong. It succeeded and she looked back.

"You know nothing of my magic, and how it works. Although it has the name celestial magic, it's much more than that." Sighing she looked away.

"I warn you to heed my previous warning" Lucy said with pity and then disappeared right in front of them, yet again using a magic that wasn't hers.

They all stood there watching the spot she had disappeared from and then turned towards their Master, and after they had asked how his health was they questioned what had happened.

"She's joined forces with a demon" Makarov said sadly wondering what had gone wrong.

"What do you mean?" Natsu asked not understanding what he meant, no one did.

"Zeref, the dark magician"

The name alone sent shivers down everyone's spine and their blood ran cold.

"Bullshit! She wouldn't!" Gray screamed, remembering that he was the man that created the demon that killed his family, Lucy knew this. She would never join forces with someone like that.

"And yet she did" Makarov said and tried to figure out why.

"Perhaps she didn't have a choice?" Mavis spoke up for the first time, appearing in front of them while looking over the damage.

"What do you mean?" Natsu asked hoping for a logical explanation.

"Zeref is a man that won't allow anything to get in his way, no matter what even if it is a person's own will. He will stop at nothing to get his way, and Lucy does come from one of the richest family around, perhaps he needed that wealth?" Mavis offered and it seemed to make sense.

"What did she come here to warn us about Master?" Erza asked, trying to shift the subject from the previous one.

"She wants us not to get in their way since Fairy Tail has a habit of putting its nose where it doesn't belong. They are planning something and she advised us not to listen to the council if they approach us on the subject." Makarov explained and ruffled his mustache.

"At least it's proof she still cares about us, otherwise she wouldn't have come all this way just to warn us." Lisanna said with a smile trying to get everyone's mood up.

"Levy, would you mind looking into what she meant when she talked about her magic?" The first asked the guilds walking library, brimming with curiosity. Levy nodded equally curious.

The rest of them looked around and then moved on, it took a while but eventually the guild mood returned but Lucy and her warning was still fresh in everyone's mind.

Gray on the other hand was busy thinking how this happened, when it happened and how he should explain it to their son. Natsu took pity and gave him a pat on his shoulder.

"Don't worry I'm sure she has a reason." Natsu said with baseless confidence.

"Do you think Koshi knows about this?" Lisanna asked worried for the poor child.

"I don't think so, but if somebody does know anything it's bound to be Loke. He knows everything going on in her life, we should talk to him." Gray said forming a plan.

"How are you going to do that?" The First asked while approaching the table.

"I'm pretty sure there is another celestial Mage in Saber Tooth, she could get to him, with her own contractors." Gray explained his plan to his friends and since nobody told him not to he assumed it was a good plan so he got up and left to contact Saber Tooth.

"For the love of God Lucy, what are you up to?" Gray whispered while he walked, knowing that she had far more secrets than this.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed, what in the name of the heavens are you up to Lucy. geez. Hahaha, just kidding I already know.**

**Anyway I guess you noticed the change in writing the last part, it was over here that I changed the whole direction of the story. Sorry, I'll write better the next time now that I have a clearer image of where I'm EXACTLY going with this. **


	8. It Begins

**I AM SO SORRY! I just finished chapter 9 and was about to upload it but then I noticed that I haven't even uploaded chapter 8! OMG, I am so stupid, the chapter has been on my computer for over a month. **

**Anyway here is chapter 8, I'll upload chapter 9 next week! **

**The book is coming to an end now, just maybe 2 more chapters left and an epilogue, and that's excluding ch 9. **

**ENJOY! **

* * *

The Ice in our Stars Chapter 8 - It Begins

"Master! Master! I finally found it!" Levy screamed as she came running in the guild with Gajeel following close behind with their daughter

"Found what?" Said man questioned as he sat on the bar, a red tint on his cheeks.

"What Lucy meant, when she said we knew nothing of her magic, and let me tell you she was right." Levy explained and gained the attention of the guild, Gray moved closer curious.

"And?" Erza asked wondering what they had missed.

"Her magic isn't celestial, I mean it is but at the same time it isn't" Levy rambled on too excited.

"That doesn't make any sense whatsoever." Natsu spoke up and Lisanna nodded.

"Think about it, what does her magic do? In its most primary form?" Levy asked nobody or anybody.

"Well she summons the celesti-"

"Exactly!" Levy screamed interrupting Gray.

"She summons?" Gray tried again.

"Precisely, she uses her magic to summon. In other words she opens portals to other dimensions or other places in the world" Levy continued. "The fact that she summons celestials could be nothing but a coincidence. Her original power, all celestials original powers is the power to open portals, it explains how she disappeared and how Master lost his magic, she merely opened a portal and drained him of it." Levy screamed ecstatically and Gajeel rolled his eyes at his wife's fanatics.

"Why the celestial part then?" Mirajane asked with her palm to her cheek.

"I don't know, probably ancestral choice, I couldn't find anything regarding that but here's the interesting part, the keys works as a receiver and sends a signal to the one they summon, otherwise she would just be opening random portals in a dimension she doesn't know. Since the keys are a part of them they receive the summon." Levy tried to explain, even she wasn't sure how it worked she was missing some pieces.

"Is that true? That we can open portals?" Yukino questioned the bluenette.

"Yukino!" Levy screamed shocked to see her there among them.

"I'm sorry that I'm late, I had heard you needed my help but since I was away on a mission I had not been aware of it until I had returned, please accept my apologizes." Yukino apologized with a bow.

"Don't worry about it, thank you for coming." Erza said and hugged the girl.

"Anyway about the portals?" Yukino asked again, she had never known that her magic could be used in that way, but now that she heard it, it did make sense.

"Yes, it's a forgotten way of celestial magic."Levy explained, "No one has practiced it so it was forgotten, until recently. Lucy seems to still know how to use the old ways, she might know more ways to use the magic but I'm sorry I can't help you" Levy apologized, she could find things but to put them in practice was another thing

"I see, thank you. Yukino bowed her gratitude," What did you need my assistance with?"

"We need to get a hold of Loke, I mean Leo" Gray said and remembered that he was more known by the former.

"I'm sorry but he is not my spirit?" Yukino said unsure where they were going with this, they of all people should know that he was in Lucy's command.

"We know, but we were hoping you could summon a spirit that could give him this letter?" Gray explained and took out the letter from the bar. Yukino now understating the plan nodded.

"Of course, anything for Fairy Tail." Yukino said while taking out her key and immediately summoned Libra and after explaining the situation to her let her return with hope of good news. Unfortunately time moved differently in the dimensions so they didn't have any other choice but to wait.

"Lucy did that? Are you sure, I mean…" Yukuno questioned alarmed, she had looked up to the other celestial and the thought of her joining forces with someone so evil seemed surreal.

"We know, we can't explain it either which is why we need to ask Loke" Natsu said with a sigh. They had sat down and started talking while waiting for an respons.

"I see, I hope he holds the answers then." Yukino said with a smile.

They continued to talk while catching up on things that had happened in both guilds.

Eventually she felt the heat of the key that signaled that Libra was ready. So she was summoned, dropped of a letter and then returned swiftly. Gray received the letter and immediately read it, but every word made him lose hope and he put the letter down on the table and groaned. So Natsu picked it up and read it out loud.

"He says he knew nothing of Zeref, although he knew she was up to something bad he would have never thought it was something as bad as this." Natsu snorted at the understatement.

"Holy shit!" Natsu screamed as he read the next sentence.

"What? What could possibly be worse?" Erza asked growing tired of all the surprises.

"She hasn't summoned anybody in months, the last time was when Gray was over at their house. That was over a year ago!" Natsu exclaimed, surprised.

"Mom wouldn't do that!" Koshi screamed when he heard what has been said.

"Koshi…" Gray said surprised that he was there.

"Mom would never abandon her spirits, they are the most important thing in her life." Koshi explained and approached the unknown woman and uncle Natsu.

"We know but there are some things that you don't know about…" Gray said unsure if he should continue but the kid had a right to know.

"She was here a month ago, and she had some not so good news…" Gray stopped not sure how to continue.

"That she's joined forces with Zeref?" Koshi questioned. Gray looked shocked but then realized that he had probably heard it before.

"Yes."

"Mom has talked about him before." Koshi said and looked down trying to remember what it was but for the life of him he couldn't.

"He's a bad magician, the most evil magician in all of history," Levy explained and looked down. "She must've mentioned him because of that" Koshi nodded, it did make sense but he knew there was something else too.

"Is Le-Lo alright?" He questioned instead, he missed him more than he had thought he would.

"Le-Lo?" Yukino questioned not knowing anybody with that name.

"Leo" Gray answered.

"Oh he's fine, as long as spirits are in their world nothing bad can happen to them" Yukino explained to the child calmly. It would have been a different story had he been forced to stay in this one.

"Is what mom doing bad?" Koshi asked his father starting to get worried. Gray groaned at the question but confirmed it. Koshi looked down unsure what do now.

"Is it… Is it because I left?" The question was asked with tearful eyes, and it broke hearts in the room.

"What? No of course not, your mother wouldn't do that just because of…" Gray stopped not sure where how he should continue, in all honestly from all that Lucy had said it sounded like that was the reason.

"I didn't mean to, I just wanted to have friends." Koshi said and then started to cry his eyes out, Gray acted immediately and scooped him up in his arms to try and comfort him the best he could. The child continued to cry on Gray's shoulder while he petted his back. He gained some eye contact with the people in the room and received only sympathy, Gray wasn't used to it, but he shared their feelings.

"Don't worry child, we're going to bring her back" Makarov said and stood up feeling worse with every minute he saw the tears.

Koshi glanced at the old man, "Really?"

"Your mother is lost but we're going to find her and bring her back to the right path, that's a promise as the Master of Fairy Tail." Makarov said and the hall cheered happy with the announcement. Gray smiled happy that he had so many good friends and Koshi gave a nod as well. 

* * *

Footsteps echoed in the hall as they walked with a destination in mind, anger radiating off of him as he got closer to the goal. He saw the reason for his anger standing and watching the world below them calmly so he approached her. They stood next to each other neither saying anything.

"I heard you had taken some unnecessary actions" Lucy glanced at the man and gave a chuckle.

"I didn't think that a mere warning could destroy years of planning" she answered and moved some of the hair behind her ear.

"It doesn't, but I don't like it when my subordinates do things that aren't allowed"

"Well then isn't it a good thing that I'm not your subordinate" Lucy answered with a small laugh, but all she received was anger, so she sighed.

"Do not worry, oh mighty Zeref" Lucy said with sarcasm. "I haven't told anybody about your plans and everything is still going according to schedule."

"You seem to be forgetting something Heartfilia, you are mine, your family from generations back have always been mine. From the day you were born you were mine. Never forget that" Zeref said and glared at the woman who didn't bother to look at him during his speech.

"So you claim, but I am still not your subordinate. I haven't pledged my allegiance to you like the people down there. I am here for only one reason." Lucy said, completely unfazed with his attempt at trying to demean her.

"The plans has been moved forward, we're attacking Magnolia earlier. I hope your warning has been heeded, they will need it." Zeref said as he walked back with a smile, knowing that this would anger the woman he left behind.

Lucy watched him go and then sighed, everything would soon be over.

* * *

"Alright children listen up! The council has been in touch and just as Lucy warned us about they told us about how Zeref is marching towards Magnolia with an army!" Master screamed so that everyone could hear.

"Our top priority is to evacuate the city before they arrive, we don't want any civilians getting caught in it. First and Levy, please start working on a strategy." Makarov ordered and people moved in accordance.

"What about Lucy?" Laxus asked, not budging an inch to follow the orders. His question made most of them look towards the Master in question.

"Lucy… She is to be captured and brought to the cell, when seen immediately alert somebody else and then put on the antimagic cuffs if you can." Makarov ordered and Laxus glared a little at his grandfather. The old man knew better than to let anybody else capture her, mostly because they wouldn't be able too. She was a dear friend to everyone here and capturing her wasn't going to be easy. So he vowed to be the first one to find her. For now though he would help them evacuate the town.

"Master, at what time do you suppose they'll be here?" Levy questioned already forming a plan in her mind. Mavis started one as well and considered everything that might and might not happen during this time.

"Around a month, less if they use magic" Makarov said and walked closer to the brightest minds in the guild.

"What should we do?" Koshi questioned and Lina stood closely by battle ready. Makarov watched the children and considered the options, he didn't want them anywhere near the battle but they were still Fairy Tail magicians.

"I need you two to guard over the prisoners that we bring in and make sure no one escapes" Makarov ordered and they nodded before they disappeared. He didn't mention that all the prisoners would be forced to wear anti-magic cuffs and that the cells would be filled with runes so that they won't escape but what they don't know won't kill them.

"Are you sure that's wise? We'll eventually capture his mother and then they'll have to meet" Mavis questioned but there wasn't any worry in her voice.

"The best person to bring her back to sanity is Koshi so this actually works in our favor" He explained with a laugh. Mavis nodded before returning to her planning with Levy who quietly listened.

The days that followed were hectic and suspenseful, mostly because they didn't know when the enemies would arrive.

Gray was particularly attentive to Koshi during these days fearing that they boy would get a dangerous idea and run of like both he and Lucy had done on several occasions, as he was their son it certainly wouldn't be strange for him to repeat their actions.

However from what he saw it didn't seem like such thoughts had entered, instead he was trying to help as much as he could with miscellaneous tasks. His eagerness had made Gray wonder if he still felt guilty and tried to atone for it as much as he could by doing everything he could, but he couldn't find any evidence for it and in such couldn't talk him out of such guilty feelings, if they existed.

Natsu was on the other hand was getting excited on the prospect of a fight, he hadn't been in any at all during these last years that could truly make his blood boil, but now that several strong magicians were approaching he couldn't help but feel restless all the time.

Lisanna could only pity the one that was going to go up against her husband. She on the other hand was dreading for this fight fearing that something might go wrong and lives might be lost.

It was later on that very evening that a loud boom could be heard and flames appeared close by showing everybody that they were here. Gray immediately rushed outside trying to get a better view but saw nothing that could aid him right now, so returned and picked up his son, and carried him to the prison cells.

"Alright, you stay here and keep the prisoners here, and whatever you do, Don't. Trust. Anything. They. Are. Saying." Gray put as much emphasis on his every word that he could and Koshi nodded understanding the seriousness of the situation.

Gray looked at the young boy and gave him a hug, he really was to precious and didn't deserve anything that was happening right now.

"Dad, I'll be fine, Lina will be here with me!" Koshi cried out getting embarrassed because of the long hug, Gray chuckled while letting him go.

He ran back outside after one last look and started searching for the dragon slayer, he needed a nose right now if he wanted to find Lucy, and what better than the talking dog.

Thankfully he wasn't hard to find, he had obviously just gotten there with Lina, who immediately darted to the prison cells knowing her friend would be there.

"Listen up flame head, you think you can find Lucy?" Gray asked and Natsu gave a grin. Gray didn't need anymore confirmation, he ran outside grabbing his friend by his muffler.

They both ran towards the flames meeting up with a few members on the way, equally curious.

"Alright you mutt, make your nose do its job!" Gray screamed, not wanting to waste any time. Natsu felt like retaliating but right now Lucy was more important.

Unfortunately he couldn't catch any of her scent at all, or anything that could lead them to her, but he did notice the scent of the enemy. If nothing else they could beat him up and ask where she was.

"Oh? You're the second people that reached here, don't tell me you're going to disappoint me by leaving like the first one."

"Who are you?" Natsu asked curiously, it didn't seem like he had caused the explosion but his smell was still there.

"My name is Ajeel Ramal, the Desert King, rejoice because you're going to be killed by me today!" He screamed with his hands out.

"Huh" They both answered automatically to that sentence in a monotone voice.

"Anyway, before you kill us, would you mind if we ask you a question?" Natsu wondered and Gray couldn't help the look of shock that came to his face.

"Very well, as your final wish I shall answer your question." Ajeel screamed into the air with a grin.

"Yeah yeah, is there a woman named Lucy among you, and if there is where is she?" Natsu asked and immediately took notice of how the mood changed.

"How do you know of Lady Lucy?" Ajeel asked turning serious, he didn't need to get killed by their king for letting people get away with information that wasn't for their ears.

"So she's here?" Gray asked with a smirk and stood in position for his magic.

Ajeel didn't answer, instead he observed the two trying to figure out if they could be a threat or not. He wasn't sure if they were but he figured it would be better to eliminate them than to take a chance.

"I don't know the relationship between you and my lady, and quite frankly I don't need to find out." He moved his arm over the earth and it moved at his will targeting the both of them furiously. Fortunately they were used to earth attacks thanks to the battles against Jura and Max so they dodged every attack.

Gray took action and froze the ground down to its core preventing it from moving.

"Alright, now how about you tell me where she is?" Gray questioned and brushed off some dirt from himself.

"Did you really think that freezing it would stop it. No matter the weather, hot, cold, rainy, dry. It doesn't matter the earth will remain." The Desert King proclaimed with an ominous grin.

The sand started absorbing the water in the ice, eventually breaking free. It soon resumed its pursuit of the two men.

"Nice going there, any other ideas?" Natsu snorted through his nose.

"Well I don't see you coming up with any ideas." Gray retaliated.

"You two are like cockroaches, hard to kill and moves fast." Ajeel said and started attacking faster.

"Ha, he compared you with a bug!" Natsu screamed with an laughter.

"You too you know" Gray muttered, but Natsu perfectly ignored the mutter, happy with the insult.

"Hey! Do you know what happens when you apply heat to sand!?" Natsu screamed towards the dark haired man. He didn't receive an answer but an eyebrow was raised in question.

"It turns into glass" Natsu said dangerously and raised the heat enough for every wave to turn into beautiful crystal.

Gray barely had the time to wrap himself in ice, he sometimes wondered if the moron even had a brain or if he just ran on impulses.

"Hahaha, what do you say about that!" Natsu screamed overjoyed that it worked so well.

"I have to say that this is the first time somebody has done this towards my sand." Ajeel smugly said and observed the sparkling creation.

"But it won't be enough to stop me" The dirt arose and started attacking them instead, forcing them to continue dodging.

"Gray! Natsu! Why are you wasting your time here fighting him when you should be doing far more important things." Erza yelled and attacked the enemy without a worry.

"Well we were trying to find out where Lucy was, but he wasn't so keen on disclosing that information" Gray explained.

"You need not bother yourself with such things, Laxus has already located her and is engaging in battle as we speak." Erza explained and returned the attack.

"How did the lightning bastard find her before me!?" Natsu screamed frustrated that somebody else could find what he couldn't.

"Seems I picked the wrong dragon slayer." Gray muttered and grabbed a hold of Natsu so that they could find Laxus instead.

"I'll leave this to you then Erza! Be careful!" Gray said and ran away knowing full well his teammate wasn't about to lose.

"Alright, since you can't find Lucy, find Laxus!"

* * *

"Of all the people that I thought would come running to find me, I have to say I didn't consider you" Lucy said, the humor clear in her voice.

"Glad I could entertain you" Laxus growled a little annoyed that she was taking all this so lightly. Lucy laughed and approached him.

"Now now, don't take offense. I'm actually quite flattered, that one of the strongest members came after me, just goes to show what a threat I can be." Lucy explained, humor still there.

"You know damn well that the rest wouldn't think of you as a threat. That's why you're dangerous, and that's also why I came to find you." Laxus in turn explained while stalling for time.

"Because you never considered me a comrade?" Lucy asked with mock hurt in her demeanor.

"Because I know a traitor when I see one." Laxus clarified. Lucy looked at him smiling and then sighed.

"Traitor… You toss around that word far too much. How can I be one when I was always on this side, even before I joined Fairy Tail?" Lucy questioned wondering what answer he would come up with.

"Heh, if that's what you have to say in order to believe in yourself then that's fine, but we both know you were a part of Fairy Tail" Lucy glared at the muscle head angry that he saw through her, but he wasn't entirely right either.

"Is Freed almost done? I'm getting quite bored with talking." Lucy asked and enjoyed the shocked look on Laxus.

"So you knew? Aren't you going to stop us?" Laxus questioned and prepared his muscles to move.

"I have no obligation to do that." She told him and he grew suspicious at her lack of energy.

"Weren't you a loyal follower of the mighty Zeref? Even before you came to us, in that case shouldn't you defend him?" Laxus asked even more confused.

"Since when was I a loyal follower to him? I am loyal, and have been since before the guild but never to him" Lucy explained and cleared up some of the confusion.

"So there's a third party?"

"Maybe, but even if there were, you of all people have no need to know who it is" She barely finished her sentence before Laxus notices the commotion behind her and saw Bixlows puppets signaling that everything was ready.

"Alright then blondie, as you wished we'll end the conversation here. NOW!" As his scream carried his commands the runes arose around Lucy encircling her. She didn't seem alarmed at all and made no move to stop it, instead she waited calmly for them to carry out their purpose.

"Sealing my magic? Good choice Freed." She said out loud knowing fully well he could hear her from where he was.

"You don't really seem so alarmed about the fact that you're a prisoner." Laxus observed suspiciously.

"I wonder why…" Lucy said with a smile.

"Freed! Knock her out!" Laxus roared getting frightened by her lack of fear. A few seconds later and Lucy went limp and fell to the grounds.

Freed and Bixlow popped up and approached Laxus wondering what had happened.

"She was acting outside of the norm, so it was better to be safe than sorry" Laxus explained and then told Freed to put runes on her body so that she wouldn't be able to use magic.

He then tied her arms and legs before he hauled her up and started walking back to the guild. He notices a few scents approached and ordered Freed to stay behind while he used his lightning to get there faster. Although he trusted Freed and his runes the prison was safer.

"What the- His scent just disappeared" Natsu screamed to Gray as they ran to its previous destination. Freed saw them running up and approached them.

"Laxus-sama has captured Lucy and returned to the guild" Freed explained.

"How did that bastard capture her so easily?!" Natsu screamed a little annoyed that yet another rival got the better of him.

"She didn't really put up much of a fight" Freed said and tried to convey the seriousness by that, this could very well be a trap. A little bit of silence ensued and then Freed used his runes to bring them all back.


	9. Family Sticks Together

**We're coming to a close on this book, only a chapter or 2 left now. Wow, Hope you enjoy this chapter because a LOT of thought went into this one.**

**And you all better leave a review ón this one or I ain't uploading the next one. Honestly cause I'm really curious what people will think about the several directions that the story is taking.**

* * *

The Ice in Our Stars Chapter 9 - Family sticks together

"How did you catch her?" Gray asked Laxus when he entered the prison and saw Lucy sleeping in the small cell. Koshi was standing and holding the bars watching his mother and Lina was close by wondering what she could do to help.

"It wasn't hard, she didn't resist at all" Laxus answered and watched the ice mage as he observed everything.

"Did she say anything?" Gray wondered and approached his son.

Laxus snorted, "Oh, she was very talkative"

"What did she say?" Natsu asked quickly, curious about his friends plans.

"She's still hiding something, she was talking about a-"

"Now now Laxus, don't give away my secrets" Lucy interrupted and sat up, she quickly noticed her son and gave him a smile.

"Hi sweetie, how have you been? Have you been eating well? Did you listen to everyone and not cause any trouble?" She asked and noticed the look everyone was giving her.

"Yes, mom. I've been good, but I heard you haven't" Koshi answered and Lucy gave a hearty laugh at the accusing tone her son was giving her.

"That's wrong sweetie, I've been good but I can't be blamed for what the company around me does," Lucy said and gave a glance to Laxus, Gray noticed.

"But you knew damn well who they were when you joined!" Gray accused and Lucy gave a shrug.

"I'm not talking about that mom, I know that you won't do bad thing just because the people around you does. You've been bad because you haven't summoned Le-Lo and given your spirits any love" Koshi said and Lucy smiled sadly, her boy really knows where to put focus.

"I know, but trust me on this, I've never stopped loving them. I've just stopped summoning them, it isn't safe for them where I am right now." Lucy explained with a smile and Koshi nodded.

"So would you mind taking these off? I have other engagements to take care off." Lucy asked and held up her cuffed hands.

"How about Hell No!" Gray screamed and grabbed the bars with enough force to bend them. Lucy raised an eyebrow at the outburst.

"I'm afraid that isn't acceptable, I only came peacefully so that I could see Koshi again. It won't take long until he comes for me, and frankly I don't think you can stand up to him." Lucy said with a sigh and stood up.

"How about this blondie, if you tell us who the others are then I'll let you go" Laxus intervened and gained the focus of the room.

"Others?" Natsu asked, and looked at Lucy wondering what he meant.

"Yes, Laxus informed me of that." Makarov joined the conversation as he entered the room with the first.

Lucy acknowledged his entrance with a nod, but made no move to reveal anything.

"Lucy, you wouldn't know this since you were gone but Zeref is after the first." Makarov said and most people looked down a little sad but Lucy showed no emotions.

"Yes, I'm aware of her body being frozen and the curse on her. I also know of their tragic past, and?" Lucy asked wondering where he was going with this.

"How would you know that? You left before I explained it" Makarov asked accusingly with a glare.

"Zeref probably told her," Natsu suggested.

"No, he didn't. If he did how would she know that her body is frozen, that's something only the people involved know." Makarov said, it wasn't completely unbelievable that Zeref would know that as well, he is very knowledgeable about magic.

"You're right, I'm not supposed to know that… Comment withdrawn" Lucy said as she realized her mistake.

"Not how it works. Just please Lucy tell us what's going on and we can help you." Gray pleaded, this wasn't how things were supposed to go.

"Gray… Even if I wanted to, you can't help me with this one"

"How would you know if you won't even try to let us help you?" Natsu approached his friend, he was starting to get worried.

"This is getting us nowhere, we're going around in circles. Laxus! That offer you gave, I'm taking you up on it" Lucy announced ignoring her friends pleas and trying not to look at her son's puppy eyes.

"Hoh? Alright, then start talking. Who is the party that you've been oh so loyal towards?" Laxus asked and grabbed the two rivals by the neck and threw them to the back of the room.

"I wouldn't say that it's a party, but it's purpose is to kill Zeref. Nothing more and nothing less." Lucy hated herself right now, it was never part of the plan to reveal any information about THE plans and certainly not get them involved in them.

"So you're saying that this whole time you've infiltrated his army on the intent that you're going to kill him?" It didn't sound plausible, and Laxus didn't really believe it either.

"No, I mean yes but it's a lot more complicated than that." A sigh escaped her, why couldn't they just leave it?

"It always is, alright I'll let you go but you owe us a hell of a lot more explanations." Laxus muttered as he opened the cell and removed the cuffs.

"You better know what you're doing blondie"

"Trust me I do, I've been working towards this goal since before I can remember" Lucy muttered tiredly. She rubbed her wrists to try and soothe them, and then went to pick up her son.

"I love you sweetie, remember to visit grandpa and eat well. Don't do stupid things that your father and his friends do and most important of all enjoy life, ok?" Lucy said and hugged him as much as she could without crushing him, she kissed him all over before she put him down.

"Why does this sound like a goodbye forever?" Gray asked and grabbed her wrists to make her stop walking. She smiled towards him.

"Who knows? Take care of our son" She said and gave a squeeze before disappearing before them. Gray took a deep breath to try and calm down, but he felt himself slipping with each second.

"Explain why you let her go"

"You heard her, if I hadn't then someone more powerful would have gotten here to pick her up and I don't want any casualties just because of your stubborn lovers quarrel" Laxus answers knowing full well that the ice magician was talking to him.

* * *

"There you are, I was starting to wonder where you'd run of to. I'd heard that you got captured." Zeref said when he saw Lucy approach him.

"If you say so" Lucy answered and passed him, she didn't feel like indulging him in conversation.

"Well since you were there, did you find the Fairy Heart?" He asked knowing fully well she had been there so Lucy had no other choice but to stop at the question, she glanced at him.

"I did not, I have no interest in it so I didn't bother looking"

"Next time, find it." He said and returned to his subjects.

"There won't be a next time." Lucy answered and left, she had no desire to be in the presence of evil unless she absolutely had to.

Zeref smiled at her answer and left himself to join the battle that he had started. He was growing tired, tired of fighting, tired of living, tired of everything. He wanted everything to end, and if it meant that he needed to be the bad guy, the evil one then he would. He had planned things for centuries and it all led up to this moment, and he would be damned if anything went wrong.

* * *

"So this is Fairy Tail?" Zeref questioned as he walked into the guild watching everything, while everyone inside watched him.

"Why are you here?" Makarov asked as he approached him, and Zeref looked at the old man.

"I was growing bored of the useless fighting, it's doing nothing but stalling. I am going to win in the end, so why not just speed up the process?" He looked at Natsu as he spoke and the dragon slayer glared, he had told everyone in the guild about the conversation had transpired between them, but it was hard to believe it.

"Now where is she?" Zeref asked and turned to the old man, who begrudgingly cursed a little.

"We weren't stupid enough to leave her here when we knew you were coming, we had her moved." Makarov informed smugly, and stood up straighter too prove that he was serious.

"Somehow… I doubt that" Zeref said and looked straight at the first's projection and she stepped back shocked that she could be seen.

"Even if you did get her, what would you do with all that magic? You're powerful enough on your own" Gray asked and stepped in front of her to stop him from looking at her.

"Who are you?" Zeref questioned annoyed at the sight of the man.

"Does it matter?" Gray questioned and watched the most evil magician in the world walk up to him. "Normally, I wouldn't have cared less, but" Zeref grabbed his arm and bent it so he could see his fingers. "The ring on your finger has an very rare sigill that is reserved for a very special family"

Gray pulled his arm back and hid the ring although it was useless since it had already been seen.

"So I will ask again, who are you?" Gray glared at him, but decided not to start anything.

"I'm thinking that you already know the answer to your question." He instead answered for the purpose of agitating the man before him.

Zeref laughed at the answer, Lucy had hid many things from him. He grabbed the man by his neck and lifted him of the ground, he didn't like it when people disobeyed an he had a feeling that this man would do nothing but that.

"Gray!" Natsu screamed with almost everyone else in the guild and took action.

"Dad!" Koshi screamed, although his voice was overpowered by everyone else's worried one, Zeref had heard and turned to watch the small boy who looked back scared for the safety of his father.

"Dad?" He asked and looked at the man in his hands.

"Don't you fucking dare" Gray barely got out through the choke, and Zeref grinned deviously. He immediately threw him across the room and moved towards the boy at such speed that most people couldn't react before he had grabbed the boy by the scruff of his shirt.

"Koshi!" Gray screamed the moment he realized what had happened and had gotten control of his movements. The rest of the guild stood still, ready to take action at any moment.

"Boy, who is your mother?" Zeref asked the small boy, finally understanding everything, her actions and secrecy.

"You know, sometimes I wonder why you even bother? You already know the answer to your question, so why do you ask?" Lucy asked as she approached them and quickly used her magic to port her son to herself. Zeref watched and scoffed at her.

"I like confirmations..." He answered and silence ensued, the guild watched nervously wondering what would happen.

"You've been keeping secrets from me." Zeref accused and Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"I've been keeping allot of them, what's your point?" Lucy asked and signaled her son to move away from her. "I've always wondered why you kept running back, why you were so obsessed with this guild even though you had us. I assumed it was because you wanted to see the people that your mother sacrificed herself for but it was because you left something behind" Zeref said and watched her to try and see her reaction. Lucy didn't respond, not even when the guild members watched her wondering what he meant.

"Does your son know the legacy?" Zeref asked and Lucy glared, this wasn't the place to talk about that.

"No, and I don't intend for him to find out." Lucy answered and he laughed at her response.

"He can't run from it, as long as he carries the Heartfilia name he is bound by the tradition!" Zeref screamed starting to turn mad at her nonchalance.

"True, but he isn't a Heartfilia. He's a Fullbuster so he doesn't have the same obligations that I have towards you. In fact I'm the last one that will listen to you. That legacy you're speaking of ends with me." Lucy explained calmly.

"Mom? What is he talking about?" Koshi asked and approached them and they both turned towards him.

"Why don't you explain it to him then, what your family has been doing for generations and will continue to do so until I'm dead" Zeref challenged with a laugh and curious eyes turned towards Lucy who stood there considering her options. Eventually though she sighed, and resigned herself to explaining the minimum to her son.

"As you wish." She mocked him by giving him a curtsy and then turned to her son "Sweetie, listen to me because I'm only going to say this once, my family from generations back have been serving under Zeref's commands listening to him and following him into the grave, but you don't have to do this ok?" Lucy said with a smile directed towards her son, he was far too young to understand this but he would one day. The ones with shock were the older people of the guild who couldn't believe what they had heard.

"You're holding out on him. Of course it's his duty to continue serving me and continue the lineage that will continue to serve me." Zeref said and approached Lucy who glared at the man.

"I already told you that I will be the last. He won't have to listen to you nor his children or those children's children." Lucy angrily spat out at the man.

"And pray tell, why is that?" He asked mockingly and Lucy bit her lip to stop herself from slapping him.

"He inherited his father's magic, the lineage, the CURSE has been broken with my mother" Lucy spat out and enjoyed the shock that overcame him. "That's not possible, the Heartfilia is supposed to be celestial magicians"

"And they were, for centuries we've given birth to celestial's but with the gate that's finally been opened… It means that it's over, our duty towards you that Anna had made." Lucy explained with a smile, she didn't care anymore. She was going to spill every secret that her family had had.

"How do you know about the gate?! Only us dragon slayers and Fairy Tail should know!" Natsu screamed out, finally starting to understand the flow of the conversation. Lucy and Zeref got broken out of their trance and watched him, one with pity and the other with lovingly bitterness.

"Of course i would know Natsu, it was my ancestor that opened and guarded the gate." Lucy informed him and noticed that the remaining dragon slayers emerge from the crowd.

"Then you knew that we were in it? You knew that our parents were already dead and were just still with us within our souls?!" Natsu screamed at her starting to feel the betrayal hitting him hard.

"At least you still had your parents with you" Lucy said with a sad smile.

"Your mother...! Did you know? That she died opening up the gate?" Wendy asked, while starting to understanding everything.

"Yes… Because it was her duty to do so" Lucy said and smiled towards them. Zeref watched the conversation slightly amused that they had all reached the same answer.

"Then the reason that we met… It wasn't a coincidence? You knew who I was even before I helped you and you knew what I was?!" Natsu started asking calmly but it turned into a scream at the end.

"I just… I just wanted to meet the people that my mother gave her life for" Lucy whispered but for the people involved they heard it.

"So everything was just a lie? All the feelings, all the experiences…" Natsu said with a bitter laugh. "You played us good Lucy, you were watching us look around trying to find our parents, when you knew that they were dead. You were watching everything, knowing what would happen! You knew everything! Everything!" Natsu screamed and his flames reacted out of his anger.

"It wasn't like that! I mean yes, at first but eventually I forgot about all that, you became my friends!" Lucy screamed back at Natsu. Contrary to what people believe he was still her best friend.

"What was the duty towards him?" Gray asked and walked up to them, the question had come from the first but Lucy couldn't see her anymore since she wasn't a part of the guild.

"The duty? To kill him." Lucy answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Zeref looked indifferent which only meant that she was telling the truth.

"Then why the hell haven't you, your family has had over 400 years to kill him and yet there he stands" Laxus interfered, questioning her story. He had demanded explanations, but now he wasn't so sure if she was telling the truth.

"We pledged first and foremost to guard the gate, and open it when the time comes so that they could fulfill their purpose of killing him" Lucy explained tiredly and referred to the dragon slayers, not one thing had gone according to a 400 year old plan since Koshi was born.

"But on the off chance that they aren't able to, then we have backup plans. Everything that my family has done for over 400 years have been for the goal to kill him."

"What backup plan?" Zeref asked, this was new information.

"Not that it's any of your business, but we constructed several plans on how to kill you in countless different scenarios, assuming yours would fail" Lucy informed and he raised an eyebrow wanting her to elaborate but she had no intention on it.

"Did you know that we would die if we kill him?" Natsu wanted to know how much she knew, and what she had been hiding. Lucy and Zeref both glanced at each other, and while one started laughing the other gave him nothing but sorrow.

"Natsu…" Lucy started and then stopped, she wasn't sure how she would continue.

"So you knew" Natus finished for her growing more disappointed, Lisanna grabbed his hand trying to comfort him.

"And yet you still tried to kill us? Your plan was always to kill him and in such us, that just goes to show how much you thought of us as friends." Natsu said and he received pity from most members, Wendy in particular. Gray stayed quiet, as long as the bastard wasn't after his son everything was good for now.

"I'm sorry, but the only one that is going to die with him is you Natsu." Lucy said and looked in another direction before she looked back him again, she was about to start crying.

"What?" The angry whisper came but not from Natsu instead Lisanna had reacted shocked by Lucy's statement.

"How much exactly did you tell him?" Lucy asked and ignored Lisanna for the moment.

"Everything, though it seems he's forgotten what I said" Zeref said and shrugged his shoulders.

"Stop talking in between yourself as if we aren't here! Stop talking as if your friends with him and you're sharing secrets! Now tell me what you meant with that? Why should Natsu be the only one to die!? If the others can be saved why can't he!?" Lisanna screamed with tears angry and lashed out without thinking.

"Lisanna…" Natsu whispered shocked at how his wife reacted, she rarely raised her voice.

"Natsu Etherion Dragneel, also known as E.N.D. was artificially created by this man's magic. The other children weren't they never died and resurrected, only to be brought back by magic." Lucy explained and exhaled before looking at the pink haired man sadly.

"And because I was brought back to life with his magic, that means that the very same magic will disappear when he does." Natsu finished now that he had connected the dots.

"Yes" Lucy confirmed.

"Why did your ancestor make that vow?" Gray questioned again repeating the firsts question. Lucy watched him and gave him a confused look.

"Because at the time he wanted to die. He begged for it and she pitied him, that he was trapped in his own misery by continuing to live. Life is precious because it someday has to end, but when it doesn't you lose sight of what's important and become twisted and incapable of human behavior, example nr. 1" Lucy explained and gestured to the man who gave her a disbelieving look. He wasn't used to being an example.

"And now he doesn't want to?" Levy asked, she had been quiet during this dialogue since it had nothing to do with her but she was curious.

"Yeah, that's what making this whole thing so much harder. Somewhere along those 400 years of waiting for the gate he decided to destroy the world so that he can die that way instead. He was doing pretty good at wanting to die, right until he met Mavis" Lucy elaborated, everything had gone down hill since that day.

"Your family are good spies" Zeref said with a laugh.

"Thank you. It was only obvious too keep our eyes on an immortal man. We've been watching you for 400 years you know." Lucy said and waved her hand at him, this was an irrelevant subject.

"Then what was the plan for us? The rest of us?" Wendy asked and looked at Lucy for answers, the dark magician scared her too much to ask.

"To kill Acnologia." Lucy answered with a smile.

"That's the reason you are all Dragon Slayers. It was the dragon's plan to have you brought here and kill him, they plotted it together with Zeref both for their own causes but in the end you all came here to kill, some Zeref" she looked at Natsu as she said that. "And some Acnologia."

"You said that your family had planned other ways to kill them. Aren't any of them a way that can keep Natsu alive?" Lisanna asked and tears started falling, she was grasping at straws but she would take anything she could. Lucy stayed quiet and tried to think but she couldn't remember one.

"I doubt there is one." Zeref said smugly and watched the blond who glared.

"Because she broke the rule" He continued completely unfazed by her glares.

"She wasn't supposed to interact with the dragon slayers so a plan to save them doesn't exist, and that's why I win. You can't kill me because you would then kill him, I will destroy this world." He claimed and after not hearing any resistance he looked towards Lucy "This was a nice chat, now let's go" He started leaving confident that nobody would defy him anymore, Mavis's body didn't seem to be there anyway so he there was no need to stay.

"You're wrong you know, I will kill you even if it means that Natsu dies in the end. I love him, but his life can't compare to the world. If I should lose sight of that I do have my son to remind me that there is a future that I need to protect." Lucy struggled to speak those words and her body grew more tense as she did.

"Then why aren't I dead yet?" He asked and Lucy flinched guiltily. "You've seen that he is incapable of defeating me right? Then you should've used those plans to kill me already but you didn't, I wonder why" He continued and started leaving again.

"Luce?" Natsu asked with a little hope. She smiled to him and sighed, she quickly pushed her magic to Zeref and ported him back to the army.

"He's right you know, I was hesitating because I didn't want you to die." She looked towards Koshi and gestured him over so that she could hug him again.

"And now?" Natsu asked, and Lucy finally let the tears spill.

"Of course I still don't want you to die! But what other choice do I have?! I looked for ways to kill him without you dying among the ways we thought of but I couldn't find anything. You have to understand, I can't let him destroy this world" Lucy begged and Natsu approached her so that he could hug her.

"I know, I won't blame you. I wouldn't want my life to be the reason that the whole world ended." Natsu said with a laugh and Lucy joined him. The rest of the guild watched them and started crying out of sorrow and pity, Lisanna looked the most heartbroken and fell to the floor when reality told her that the man she loved would die. Natsu immediately ran to her side and gave her a hug, Lina was to young to understand but she started crying nonetheless and joined them in the hug.

"Lucy?" Gray called out to try and get her attention, she gave him a look wondering what he needed at this moment.

"You said that you searched through the ways that you had to kill him, but you couldn't find any that keeps Natsu alive, right?" Lucy nodded and most people looked at him wondering where he was going with this. "Then how about creating a new way?" Gray asked.

"I wouldn't even know how to do that. If Natsu is going to live then his magic has to still be here somehow while he is dead." Lucy said and held her head, she could feel the headache coming.

"Then how about sending him to Edolas? Magic doesn't exist there, so he wouldn't be able to use it but he would still be alive and in such his magic would still work." Gray asked and hope returned to Fairy Tail, they might be able to save Natsu after all.

"That's right, unless he has the pills then he won't be able to actually USE the magic but it would still be there." Lisanna said, she of all people should know, she more or less grew up there.

"He could even grow old there, and live out the rest of his life as a normal man. He would probably have it better there!" Lisanna continued and stood up while getting exalted at the idea.

"Lucy you can open door to other dimensions and places, you can send him there!" Lisanna exclaimed and everybody turned to look at Lucy who stood there silently before she looked down.

"She can't." Gray immediately realized.

"What?" Lisanna looked at the top less man.

"She can't do it, she probably thought of that already and must've found some fault with the plan." Gray told Lisanna, and Lucy looked up towards Gray surprised that he knew her that well.

"He's right, I did think of that and it isn't possible." Lucy said and held out her hands.

"There are two ways it could turn out, since Mystogan reversed Anima all magic has disappeared forever. It wouldn't matter if he had pills or not, magic simply doesn't exist there no more. So even if I send him over Natsu would still die, or he would kill all of Edolas who can't defend themselves."  
Lucy started explaining with her hands still in front of her.

"One one hand," she held her left hand out, "his magic would be drained by Anima and it would make him lose all his magic forever but in return it would kill Natsu." She began.

"On the other" this time her right hand opened up, "If the world somehow reversed to how it was before and magic was in things then it still wouldn't work." Lucy started but got interrupted.

"Why not!?" Lisanna screamed and smacked her hand tired of the options.

"The Curse of Contradiction, the Ankhseram Curse, is lethal and kills anyone that comes close to him when it activates. Curses aren't magic contained within oneself that you create, they are made with magic from someone else. In this case the God, Ankhseram cursed Zeref for meddling with life and death." she looked at Natsu with a smile. "But it also means that they work the same way their magical items work or the exceeds wings, so he would be as dangerous as he is down here." Lucy finally finished and looked Lisanna right in the eyes. Yes she could still send him over there and save the world and Natsu at the same time, but that would mean that she would condemn the people up there to death.

"Then how about meeting with that God?" Gajeel asked as if he was asking about the weather.

"I mean there are God Slayers so there must be Gods? Why not just meet him and ask him to remove that curse? He has to still be alive since the curse is still working?" Gajeel explained his logic, and it made sense.

"Besides, you have the magic of dimension jumping so you can find him…" he stopped talking when he noticed that Lucy wasn't showing any joy for the idea. "Unless, you already did."

"That particular idea didn't come from me but my ancestors and a lot of people from my lineage has tried to convince him to let go of the curse, myself included but he won't. Because he broke the rules of life and death he has to pay the price. I did ask him for Natsu's sake but all he agreed on was that if the dead return to being dead then he would lift the curse and Zeref would die." Lucy finished.

"I never told him, because I feared that he would come after you and kill you immediately." Lucy added and Natsu nodded a little grateful.

"What if it went the other way? If he knew that he would be given death why couldn't he wait for another 70 years? He's already waited over 400 what's a few more" Wendy asked wondering why an answer so simple couldn't be considered.

"Because right now he's tired of life and everything around it. For us it's natural to assume that he should wait a few more years until Natsu dies of natural causes, but for him that's another lifetime of waiting for something that should've happened years ago. He's twisted his own feelings in a wrong way on his pursue for death." Lucy explained trying to put how wrongly that man views everything in the world.

"I'm running out of time. I can't let him find Mavis, so I'll have to kill him before that." Lucy said as she held her head, it was going in overdrive because of everything going on.

"Out of curiously how are you going to do that?" Makarov asked, Mavis was the one who asked because they shared a similar curse then maybe the same method could one day end her life.

"It's a little hard to explain but basically all I'm going to do is reverse the curse. So instead of it attacking people around him it's going attack him." Lucy explained.

"That's not your magic or are you saying that your magic can do that too?" Levy asked wondering if she had missed anything.

"No I can't, but I do have magic that can summon you know." Lucy didn't want to elaborate mostly on the off chance that something might happen. Levy nodded understanding what she meant as did most people.

"I have to go, he's closing in. Natsu, I'll stall for time but I won't be able to hold him off for long, please understand that" Lucy almost begged and Natsu smiled and nodded.

"Thank you," was Natsu's simple answer before he picked up Lina and grabbed Lisanna's hand and left. Lucy watched them go before she ported herself back to the root of all problems.

* * *

As much as Natsu wanted to go out there and fight and defend the city, he just couldn't anymore. He couldn't get fired up about battles anymore since he felt it was all pointless, he knew Lucy would take care of it, she always did. Right now all he wanted to do was spend the last hours with his family that he was blessed to have.

He couldn't blame really blame Zeref for bringing him back to life because he enjoyed it, loved it and none of the experiences, memories and accomplishment could've been possible so he was actually feeling a little bit grateful, although he would never admit that, not in a million years.

"What are you thinking about?" Lisanna whispered quietly as she held him in a hug on the couch trying not to cry, she wanted his last moment to be happy ones.

"How fortunate and blessed I am to have had you in my life, and how grateful I am that Lina was born as my daughter because she is nothing else but perfect, as are you" Natsu said and gave her a kiss. Lina watched her dad and mom with a smile happy at the words, her mom had told her to smile for the rest of the day but it was hard.

"If anything it's us who are blessed that you existed in our lives," Lisanna whispered back and snuggled closer to him and he gave a chuckle. Lina climbed up and sat on her dad's lap leaning up towards her mother and enjoyed the feel of them, they haven't had a calm moment like this in a while where they just enjoyed each other's company.

They stayed like that for hours not talking, simply existing and enjoying each other that they didn't notice when the day turned into night. Lisanna watched as her husband succumbed into a deep slumber she knew he wouldn't wake from up and it wasn't until then that she let the tears fall, she was grateful that Lina had fallen asleep earlier and didn't have to witness this.

"I love you forever and more" She quietly whispered and closed in on her husband still warm corpse slowly falling asleep. The day had been long and she knew it wasn't normal to fall asleep next to a dead body but at the moment she didn't care, she wanted to feel his body heat as long as she could. Even if it meant waking up to a cold one.

The night was cold and dark but it slowly started to change with the rising sun signifying a new day and telling the residents of the world to wake up.

When the sun had reached its highest point the door was slammed open with enough force to shake the house that they woke up abruptly.

"I knew it, you're still alive you lucky ass flame bastard" Gray said with a laugh and couldn't help the laughs of relief that followed.

Lisanna immediately started crying when she realized what that meant and Lina joined them as the three of them hugged each other happy that he was still there. Natsu couldn't contain the laughter of happiness as he realized that he would be able to live with his family and grow old with them, watch his daughter grow up and perhaps be able to see his grandchildren one day.

"Wait! What about Lucy?" Natsu asked when the euphoria settled down and he realized the reason he was alive.

"We don't know, all of Zeref's troops disappeared over night and the man himself and Lucy is gone" Gray said solemnly and held his head, he wished that she didn't do everything by herself all the time and instead asked for help.

"So Lucy is missing while I'm still alive?" Natsu asked and Gray nodded.

"Where'd she go and what did she do?" Natsu asked in vain.

"She must've figured out how to kill him without killing you and disappeared in the process" Gray said and his knuckles tensed up. Natsu immediately understood what that meant, his friend had sacrificed herself for him… and he couldn't angrier at her! His flames rose out of seething anger, angry that his friend gave her life for him. He wasn't even supposed to be alive in the first place so he should've been the one to die not her.

"Lucy!" Natsu roared into the world and Gray watched him because he understood his train of thoughts because he had had the same a few hours earlier and he was just as mad. If anything it should've been him, he could've used his ice to freeze Zeref for the remaining life Natsu had just like Ur had done.

"It was her choice Natsu, anyone of us would've done the same" Gray tried to calm his friend down, but it was incredibly hard since the woman he loved had just died.

"I never asked her to, I was prepared to go I had said my goodbyes! I never wanted to live at the expense of her life! Never!" Natsu screamed and flames erupted hotter than ever almost burning them since they were so close by.

"I know but she did it anyway because she cherished and loved you." Gray said with a smile and he couldn't stop the tears when the situation and Natsu's anger made the whole situation more real, the happiness of his friend being alive made him forget that he had lost someone.

Natsu watched his friend start to cry and just like that all the flames disappeared in a second. It took a few seconds but eventually his legs gave out and he fell to his knees on the ground and started sobbing for the loss of his friend. He always knew they were still friends and they always will be.


	10. Gone

**Welcome back to chapter 10! I told you all that I wasn't going to update until you gave feedback, and although not as much as I wanted I did get some lovely comments! Especially this one where a fan explained that it actually made sense how the whole inheriting magic works and lost magic. Go to review to find it! **

**Other than that I want to apologize that the next update took so long, yes part of it was because I wanted you guys to leave comments but the other part is that I recently (last month) started University, and I've literally never studied as hard during all my school years put together as I am now. It's still fun though. So I moved out of home as well and am now living alone, pain in the ass is what it is. **

**Enjoy this story! **

**Ps. I got contacted by someone that want's to Beta fix all my spelling errors, since MY Beta hasn't written back to me I guess I have no other choice but to replace her. That is all, I won't bother you guys anymore!**

**Pps. Only two more chapters to go! Excluding the epilogue of course!**

* * *

The Ice on Our Stars Chapter 10 - Gone

Natsu sat grimly at the bar with his hands to his head, a bottle of alcohol was empty next to him and his aura was screaming for people to leave him alone. Lisanna sat close to him wanting to be there for him, but she was finding it hard to do so. Yes she was sad but overall she was grateful and happy that he was still here. Gray glanced at his friend every now and then, but he was busy having a conversation with Master and First about what happened. A few other had joined but so far they haven't really figured anything out.

"So you're saying that during the evening, 4 hours after Lucy had left every mark on the map disappeared." Makarov confirmed and watched the map, that had previously been showing enemies but was now showing people that went about in their life now that the danger was over and they had been let back in the city.

"Yeah, they didn't disappear one at a time, but instead all at the same time. Which probably means that she used her magic to remove them all from here but it doesn't explain where she or Zeref is." Levy explained and circled the area where they all disappeared from.

"Have they appeared anywhere since?" The first asked, it wasn't possible for that many people to just disappear like that.

"No, at least not anywhere in Magnolia. I did widen the search for all of Fiore but came up with nothing. They might've just been sent back home." Levy answered and looked at both leaders of the guild.

They continued talking, arguing and bickering about possibilities, solutions and answers.

"Where are you going Koshi?" Lina asked rather loudly when she saw him walking towards the big doors. Him leaving wasn't that big of a deal but it was the way he was leaving, he was sneaking. He looked annoyed at his friend, he wanted to leave without anyone finding out but the fact that the whole guild was staring at him right now made it considerably difficult. One part looked at him with pity, the other curiously and the rest were indifferent.

"Home." He simply answered and made a move towards the doors again. They let him go knowing that since he lost his mother then it was understandable to want to be alone. Gray felt like following him but stopped himself, sometimes you just want to be alone. Instead he watched Natsu, who had woken up and looked strange to say the least.

He had stood up and was following his son angrily and Gray stepped up and stopped his friend. He might've directed his frustration wrongly at his son because he felt helpless.

"What are you doing?" Gray immediately asked and followed him as he stalked his son.

"Your son is a liar." Was the only explanation he received before they continued walking, following the young boy at a distance where he wouldn't see them.

He was in fact walking toward the house and entered quickly. Gray looked at Natsu wondering if he was satisfied now that they had seen him actually go home. Natsu noticed the look but didn't say anything, his nose was never wrong.

Natsu immediately gave Gray a look when Koshi came out this time with an bag and moved away from the house. This time Gray became alerted and followed his son, it wasn't in his nature to not say anything.

It wasn't until they were in front of the train station that he called out and stopped him from entering. Koshi immediately looked guilty but didn't explain his actions when they asked.

"I know that you feel frustrated and sad, and you have a right to, but running away isn't the answer." Gray finally said and Koshi looked away. It was Natsu that had realized his actions weren't of one that was running away, it was of one looking for answers.

"What do you know?" Natsu accused growing angry at the boy, he was hiding information that could help them. Gray immediately defended him but Koshi stopped his father and explained that Natsu was partially right.

"I am not hiding anything. I simply didn't want to say anything in case it didn't lead anywhere." Koshi explained and both men looked at each other, one shocked and the other smug. Gray encouraged him to explain as they might be of assistance. Koshi hesitated only for a moment before he nodded.

"Mom is and has been very mystical in things she says. Usually it always has two meanings, and yesterday she said something that could be an answer to the path she took." Koshi explained and both men were blown away by what was said. They tried to remember any words that might've been said but couldn't come up with anything.

"When and what did she say?" Natsu asked giving up, he wasn't the smartest of men and finding double meaning in sentences wasn't his forte.

"In the cell after she was captured. This was before she explained everything. She told me to 'remember to visit your grandfather'" Koshi explained and the men remembered that small speech. Gray especially since he had asked why it had sounded like an goodbye. If they had any doubt before then it was gone now.

"Alright let's go then." Natsu said and walked up buying tickets without any hesitation. This was one of the few times that he looked forward to a train ride because chances were that something better was waiting for him at the end.

Gray hesitated only because he felt that he should say something to the guild but then took his son's advice, if it didn't lead to anything then all they were going to do was raise false hope.

The train moved rather slowly according to Natsu, speed wasn't his friend but now he wished for it. Gray was rambling his memories trying to find any other sentence that she might've said that could've been taken differently than what was said, that when their destination was coming up he wondered how it could've gone by so fast. Koshi took the lead and started walking towards the mansion, he knew these grounds the best so no one complained.

When the proud building came into view, nervousness and impatience settled in. Especially in the elder men as they searched and looked, trying to find an answer or a glimpse of their friend. It was fruitless and their only hope was her father.

When the servants saw the men they took notice of the young master walking with them and heartily gave their greetings, oblivious to anything. To Koshi this only proved that they weren't worried about his mother which meant she wasn't dead.

The house hadn't altered at all since he was last there but he wasn't surprised, it rarely changed. His grandfather was standing at the doors waiting with open arms expecting a hug, which Koshi immediately gave with a running leap.

"You've been gone for far too long my boy, how have you been?" Jude asked and held him up watching the two men walk slowly up to them. He singled out Koshis father rather quickly, the resemblance was uncanny. It looked like the only thing he had inherited from his mother was the hair color. Which begged the differ, who was the other man and even more important what were they doing here?

"I've been fine." Koshi answered oblivious to the glaring of his grandfather at the two young men. Gray actually became nervous, he hadn't met this man before. His whole demeanor was demanding respect and his posture, air and manner was the proof of a well bred man that clearly belonged to nobility. Gray felt that introductions were in order but, he felt that there were bigger questions that needed answers as well. It seemed as if he had similar questions and thoughts since he put down Koshi and turned towards them and the air changed around them so much that both Natsu and Gray felt their bodies turn cold. They had never met someone that could change everything so much about themselves and make anyone they meet feel insignificant like that. They felt like bugs under his gaze.

Jude knew this when he saw them flinch and grinned. He might've promised his daughter to not act like this the first time the young man had come over but that was then, and this is now. Besides the promise at that time had bore no fruition since his grandson had run away for more than a year.

"Well? Speak up boys, I have no desire to waste my time by idly waiting for you to find your backbones." Jude said with power equal to the master in his voice but without the magic. Which made it far more impressive. Gray decided that introductions were more important right now.

"Hello Sir. My name is Gray Fullbuster and I am quite acquainted with your daughter and father of your grandson." Gray said and bowed, Natsu looked shocked at his friends manners and wondered since when he was able to do that. Jude nodded, this was a good introduction. Although his introduction as the father was wrongly said and it could've been better he wouldn't put it past him since he wasn't part of this world. He then turned his attentions to the unusual pink haired young man who immediately copied Gray rather clumsily. He looked towards his grandson who watched him as well curious about how he would act.

"Jude Heartfilia of the Heartfilia clan." He gave a small bow but made no more move towards civility. They didn't realize that and thought he was acting normally so for them it was invitation enough to continue the conversation.

"We're here regarding your daughter and recent events which caused her disappearance." Gray explained and Jude nicked his head, the conversation suddenly piqued his interest. He invited them in and left them in the care if the butler who continued to guide them to the parlor while he left for his study. Jude gestured for his grandson to go with them and left without a word.

Gray and Natsu found themselves in the same parlor that they had been in over 6 years ago wondering the same thing, where was Lucy?

This time they didn't have to wait as long as her father came striding in, not in any hurry. He elegantly sat down and waited for a few moments before he started the conversation.

"What has happened?" He thought this question covered enough ground as to their presence here and their earlier explanation. Natsu immediately growing thin on his patience started explaining everything that she had said yesterday, from family honor, Zeref, magic and her ancestors. At the end he was carefully trying to understand everything that had been said, he thought that he knew everything but it turned out that he had been in the dark with allot of information.

"I understand." He started digging in his pocket where he had two letters.

"I can assure you that my daughter is not dead. Unfortunately neither is the dark magician but neither can come back and do any harm." Jude explained, and he could see the the burdens lift from their shoulders while an confusion replaced it. Koshi only nodded, he had expected as much.

"These are the two letters she gave me, one for now." He put it on the table while he started pocketing the other.

"The other for later." He simply answered and they looked uncertain. Natsu felt like attacking him and taking the other right away but figured that attacking one of the richest men in the world wasn't the wisest thing to do and he didn't want to attack his friends father. Jude left them so that they could read the letter in privacy, he had already read it so many times himself that he knew every sentence and every word.

Koshi was the one that actually took the letter and opened it, he quickly read through it but found no hope that he would ever see his mother again. Gray took the letter next but Natsu told him to read it out loud so that they all didn't have to read it.

"It says;

_Hi Sweetie. I knew you would be smart enough to understand what I meant and come here. I'm sorry about everything that has happened and that I didn't explain everything better. I'm sure you have a lot of questions but forgive me for not being able to answer them. _

_If nothing else I'll explain what I've done. As you know my magic is able to move through different dimensions. Here's something you didn't know, there are multiple dimension in the world. In fact there are more than I can count, so I simply put us in a world much like Edolas except it doesn't have any magic whatsoever and never have. That's why it's the perfect place to put the most evil magician in the history. He can't do anything here and neither can his troops, they are trapped. Unfortunately it applies to me too, this was and always has been a one way ticket. _

_I can't come back, but trust me on this. I want to. I'll always love you. _

_So promise me this, make sure to live your life to the fullest without any regrets. _

_Ps. The probability that your father and Natsu are with you is rather high so please tell them that I am sorry as well. Especially Natsu, his temper is not the best and he isn't particularly fond of people sacrificing themselves even though he has the tendency to do it himself._

Gray finished the letter and put it down. It held nothing of importance that could help them find her. All it did was shatter the hope that they had found.

"She's not dead. That's all that matters right now. She's trapped in another world but hell we've traveled through worlds before we can do it again. We'll get her back." Natsu said not at all bothered by her letter. It just said that she couldn't come back, but it said nothing about them not being able to get her back.

Gray nodded agreeing, if it was one thing their guild was the best at then it was overcoming all odds.

"I'll be right back, I need to ask her father something." Gray proclaimed as they got closer to the door. Natsu watched him wondering what it was until he remembered that there was another letter and said he would come along. Gray immediately convinced him not to, and Natsu realizing his intent couldn't help but grin his way. Koshi didn't understand but gave directions anyway.

The moment he stood in front of the door he assumed was right then all the nervousness of the situation came flooding in and he hesitated. Thankfully he remembered her and her smiles and that gave him the push forward to knock and enter after he got permission. Surprisingly Jude wasn't sitting at the desk and working, instead he was watching the yard from his window.

"I am not going to give you the other letter, it was instructed to me to give it to Koshi at the biggest events in his life." Jude said and watched the young mans reflection in the glas. Gray looked surprised for a moment because he didn't expect the other letter to contain that kind of message.

"I'm not here for the letter." Gray explained and Judes curiosity piked, enough so that he would turn around and face the man.

"Then what? For Koshis sake?" Jude asked tiredly.

"No, I'm here for my own." Gray said and looked determined enough that Jude decided that the man in front of him wanted something and should be treated seriously. He gave him the attention he should have and told him to begin.

"I want permission to marry your daughter." Gray quickly said and then waited but after a few minutes of waiting he began to wonder if he had heard what had been said. He was about to repeat the question until he saw Jude twitch and he kept quiet.

Jude had heard but was in too much shock to be able to answer immediately. He was very rarely shocked into silence, in fact he could count on his fingers how many times it had happened and it usually involved the women in this family. His wife and daughter seemed to be the only ones to posses the ability. Until now that is.

"Did you read the letter?" It was the only logical explanation as to why the question had appeared.

"I have but it changes nothing, we'll get her back and when she's here then I'll ask her to marry me." Gray explained and Jude nodded. He had a feeling that his permission didn't really mean anything and the man in front of him would ask his daughter regardless.

"I don't think that I have to tell you this, but my daughter is a very headstrong girl." Gray smiled despite the seriousness and Jude knew that the young man knew what he meant.

"My permission doesn't mean anything if she truly wants to have you. Or if she doesn't. However that being said, if you can bring my daughter back so that I don't have to use these letters then you have my permission and full support, Gray Fullbuster." Jude said and gave a small almost nonexistent bow honoring the conversation that they just had. Gray didn't wait and thanked him before bowing in gratitude and then left to catch up to his friend and son who were waiting.

"And? How'd it go?" Natsu asked when he saw him coming.

"Good, the condition was that I bring her back." Gray explained a little embarrassed. Natsu laughed, it was the best answer he could get for now.

"Well then let's hurry back and figure out how we should do it." He exclaimed and started walking out. Koshi looked towards his father wanting an explanation but didn't receive one, instead he was left behind and had to catch up to them.

The first thing they did when they came back was to tell everyone the news, she wasn't dead but she was stuck in another world. They then read the contents of the letter that proved everything leaving out the parts that she had written for them personally. Well for Koshi but she knew they would read it anyway.

Just as they had expected everyone immediately cheered when they found out she was alive. Then they immediately started brainstorming about how they would get her back, most ideas were stupid and other were brilliant but none of them seemed to be a solution.

"The key to this are her spirits!" Levy shouted growing annoyed.

"It's not possible, it says that the dimension she's in is not able to handle magic whatsoever! The celestials are nothing BUT magic, they would disappear the moment they stepped through." Mavis argued, she wanted to save the poor girl, she really did but there was no sense in killing somebody else, they needed a plan that was solid and foolproof before she would consider sending anyone over.

"I wasn't talking about sending THEM over, I meant that their connection with Lucy could help us find the dimension they are in. She wrote it herself, there are endless of dimensions, without the connection we would never be able to find her." Levy argued and Gajeel started noticing her anger so he picked up their son and moved away.

"IF they still have a connection, spirits contracts gets terminated when the caster loses their magic." Mavis reminded, she didn't want to just see flaws in the plan but it was her job, if she could see all the flaws then that meant she could counter them.

"Who said she lost it?" Levy countered and Mavis sighed, until this girl's theory was proved wrong she wouldn't shut up about it.

"Fine, prove to me that they are still connected and we will take it from there." Mavis said before she left, she had a plan on how to get the girl back but she had to go look into it, she wasn't sure if it would work.

"Mira! Get me the communication lacrima!" Levy screamed and ran up towards the bar. Mira gestures towards the ball in the back and Levy didn't hesitate.

"What can we do for Fairy Tail?" A laugh asked and he watched the girl that had called.

"Sting! Where is Yukino? I need to ask her something." Levy asked and she noticed Gray and Natsu entering but they stayed quiet and watched the bluenette.

"What do you need her for? Wasn't she there just recently, can't you Fairies do anythi-" He got interrupted by being pushed away by the person they needed to talk to.

"Miss Levy, is everything alright?" Yukino asked with a bow.

"No, Lucy is gone, but we know she's not dead. We need you to ask your spirits if her spirits are still in a contract with her or not" Levy explained and Yukino nodded. She asked for a moment before she shut down the orb and Levy returned to the guild waiting for answers.

The answer that appeared in front of them caused shock. In the room where smoke had appeared by his arrival, Loke stood in all his glory. He looked around a little indifferently until he noticed Koshi and gestured for the boy to come closer. Koshi didn't even hesitate as he ran into the engulfing arms and they both hugged dearly, each had missed the other. Koshi had started crying without noticing and Loke started patting him.

"You've grown a lot since the last time I've seen you." Loke said to the boy as he inspected him. Koshi simply nodded and leaned in closer towards the hug.

"Don't cry, everything's going to be alright." Loke said with a sad smile, it was a white lie that could turn into truth and right now the boy needed comfort.

Loke found Gray immediately and they both watched each other. One determined the other apologetic.

"I know what you want to ask me but I can't do it." Loke eventually said annoyed at his own powerlessness.

"You being here doesn't necessarily mean it's hopeless." Levy interfered before Gray could say anything. Koshi had fallen asleep in Lokes arms tired from the crying so before Levy could continue Gray stopped her and gestured for Loke to follow so that they could put him to bed.

"Do you still have the contract with her?" Gray asked as they started walking towards his house.

"Yeah, we all do. I don't think she had planned on doing what she did. It was probably more like an impulse decision, the last thing she did before she disappeared was to lock all of our gates so that we couldn't port to her, especially mine." Loke explained and looked at the constellations. It was just barely turning dark but he knew where they were by heart.

"Then… How are you here if she locked your gate?" Gray asked not understanding it.

"It's difficult to explain and I've never had contracts with people that could jump from different dimensions but think of it this way. There are endless doors for every dimension. Although none of us knew that until recently. For every dimension our contracted goes to a new door will pop up. The one she locked for us is the one in the new dimension and when she did that she unlocked the one for this." Loke explained, it was an hypothesis because she was the first one that had actually made it. He had never had 2 gates before. Gray nodded, with everything that has happened recently something of this caliber couldn't faze him.

"I thought all celestials could jump to different dimension." Gray said as an afterthought after Koshi had been put down and they were walking back. Loke nodded, agreeing.

"Yes, apparently. However Lucy is the first one that knew how to do it and actually did it. Usually celestial magicians ONLY summon us, and rarely the other teleport magic. Probably because they didn't know they could and even if they did they didn't know how. I can actually count on one hand how many people used both celestial magic and teleport. That's only if you take out the Heartfilia clan. From what I've understood then all of them could, but aside from them there weren't that many." Loke explained the now useless information that could in no way help them with Lucy, but it was useless to start a conversation on the actual subject. If they did then they would with all certainty have to repeat it.

Levy was patiently waiting for them when they came back. The first was standing there as well, but mostly because she needed answers about how to get there.

"Alright, let's cut to the case. Can you or can you NOT get to where Lucy is?" The first asked and noticed the glare from Levy but wisely ignored it.

"I can't get to her." Loke said and the first nodded.

"Then do you know the dimension she's in?" Mavis asked, if he didn't then he was useless.

"I do and I don't." Loke answered after he thought about how he should best answer that.

"Explain." It was a demand from Mavis that hated vague answers.

"I still have a connection with her so I can kind of feel where she is, but I don't know how to get to there without the gate." Loke explained and pushed his glasses closer really thinking about it. He had had a lot of thinking time since the second gate popped up but he was no closer to the answer that would satisfy him.

"Alright that's all I need. If you have a connection then I can find her. The magical connection can be traced." Mavis exclaimed with a huge smile plastered on her face. Levy looked at her wondering when she had had the time to figure everything out but knew very well how the first worked with strategies.

"Told you her spirits were the key." Levy couldn't help but mutter and Mavis rolled her eyes. Them being connected only meant that it would be easier to get to her but it didn't mean that she hadn't had other plans as well.

"What are you planning on doing?" Loke asked ready to take action at any moment. Mavis didn't answer, instead she just smiled before she disappeared. She had a lot of preparations to make. First off was finding the correct type of magic she needed for this.

"Don't worry, if the first says that she will handle it then it's with all certainty that she will." Makarov said as he walked into the middle of the guild and spoke loudly enough so that they could all hear him.

"Now let's celebrate!" He screamed abruptly but the members had no problem with following and a party had started celebrating that Lucy would be home soon. Loke had stayed and enjoyed the company of his friends that he had missed. Koshi had come back and wouldn't leave him anymore and that was how the rest of the night was spent. Telling new experiences and stories while reliving the memories of the old ones.

"So you asked her father for permission?" Loke said with a laugh as he drank his drink. Gray only nodded.

"And? What'd he say?" He pushed his friend into telling him more.

"He said I had it if she was brought back." Gray answered and Loke couldn't help the surprise that came to him.

"That's a yes, you do know that? You couldn't have gotten a better answer." Loke informed him.

"That's what I said!" Natsu screamed as he patted Gray on the back who looked annoyed at his friend. He was however somewhat glad that the moron wasn't depressed anymore.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say." Gray muttered as he desperately tried to change the subject.

"Question though…. How do you know she's going to say yes?" Natsu asked ignoring the attempt at another conversation. Loke watched Gray wondering the same thing.

Gray didn't answer, he hadn't thought about the possibility that she might not accept. He was so much in love with her that the thought of her not feeling the same never crossed his mind. Now that it did he got nervous and started thinking that he was getting ahead of himself. Maybe he should just ask her out first and take it from there, that seemed more logical.

"She will." Gray said with a smile, for the first time thankful that Natsu had opened his big mouth because it had saved him from making a mistake. Had he just asked her the moment she got back then he probably would've been rejected, he had to take his time and get her to love him as much as he did her then he would ask and she would say yes.

Loke grinned and Natsu got bored with the answer, he had hoped that he could make his friend nervous. Gray knowing that decided to flip his focus and make his friend nervous instead.

"How about you Natsu? Are you ready to let go of your little princess and give permission for my son to marry her?" Gray asked and saw the anger surface immediately.

"No fucking way!" Natsu growled and let out flames unknowingly. Loke looked surprised at the sudden anger and didn't understand precisely what had just been said but could understand from the content of it what it meant.

"Koshi's in love?" Loke asked Gray ignoring his other friend who was becoming flames at the moment.

"No, it's the opposite. More like she's in love with him." Gray explained and Natsu denied it right away. Loke understanding started looking around for a girl that would look like Natsu but didn't find her. Gray noticed and pointed towards the bar.

"See the girl with pink hair over there?" Gray asked and Loke nodded. He noticed Koshi was sitting next to her and she was watching him lovingly.

"What magic does she use?" Loke asked changing the topic, it was beginning to get hot in here and he didn't feel like becoming charcoal.

"Take over, just like her mother." Gray answered catching on the intentions of his friend. Loke nodded before he stood up and approached the children. He couldn't help but feel a little curious about the young girl that had a crush on Koshi.

"Le-Lo! I was telling Lina that you were an immortal lion but she doesn't believe me! Tell her it's true." Koshi screamed when he was close enough. He watched the young girl who in all reality had inherited most of her looks from her mother except the hair. Her eyes seemed to be a shade darker blue though. She was watching him curiously as he sat down and Koshi jumped on his lap and he couldn't help the grin when he realized she was jealous of him.

"It's true, I am a celestial spirit that can be summoned with magic. I am in a contract with his mother at the moment." Loke explained but she didn't look convinced.

"Koshi let's go get Erza to tell us more stories!" She exclaimed and grabbed his hand trying to get him to leave. Koshi just pulled it back and shook his head.

"No I want to stay here with Le-Lo" he explained and Loke had to hold back his laughs when he saw the cute pout before she sat down again rather solemnly.

Koshi then continued to ask him questions about what he had done during the time they hadn't seen each other and he happily answered. Lina looked a little annoyed but her curiosity piked at the stories.

Loke passed the time by spending it with the children. He hadn't noticed that it was getting late until they both became drowsy and had trouble staying awake. Lisanna took Lina and went home, leaving Natsu behind who was still drinking with Gray. Loke shrugged and did the same with Koshi, he fell asleep on the way so he just put him in his bed and returned.

When he returned most of them were on the floor passed out drunk, not that it was something unusual for this guild. Natsu was among the people passed out and Loke laughed at his expression as he passed him in search of a coherent person. He did find Gray but he was equally drunk as the rest perhaps a bit less considering he was still awake and drinking.

"Do you think it's going to work?" Mirajane asked as she cleaned the guild, sweeping the floors going around the bodies. Loke stopped walking and looked at her.

"I don't know. I hope so." Loke answered honestly and Mira nodded, she didn't know what answer she expected but considering everything it was probably the most logical one.

Loke helped her clean to the best of his abilities the rest of the night but he knew that he wasn't much help. In all honesty he was just wasting his time waiting for The First to come back.

However when morning came and the previous drunk people were hit by the wrecking ball called hangover, she hadn't arrived. When the sun had disappeared they knew she wasn't going to arrive that day. Loke didn't have a choice and returned to his realm. He could've stayed, he had been in the human realm longer but in order to do that he needed to get adjusted to the human world. As there wasn't a need for it he went home and left them a pseudo key that they could inject with magic to let him know that he should return. He informed the rest of Lucy's spirit of what had happened and they showed happiness, even Aquarius.

* * *

**3 Months Later**

"What's with those gloomy faces?" Mavis asked when she entered the guild and noticed the brooding and depressed mood.

"That's entirely your fault!" Makarov screamed as his small legs ran up to her.

She looked shocked and didn't understand what he had meant.

"Why? I haven't even done anything?" She asked wondering what he had meant.

"You said we would get her back but then completely disappeared for the last three months." Makarov explained and Mavis nodded understanding. Perhaps she should've explained that it would take some time to prepare everything.

"Do you have everything you need to bring her back?" Gray asked and observed the two people she had brought back.

"Almost, I brought the people needed but the preparations will take a few hours." Mavis explained and held out a crystal. If magic couldn't be used on that side then they would bring it with them as a bomb.

Gray nodded and left, it was the best news he had gotten during these months.

"Where's the spirit?" Mavis asked as she looked around the room.

"He couldn't stay here in this realm for so long so he went home." Levy answered while fully conveying the annoyed tone with every word.

"Well get him to come back, we need him." Mavis said unaffected by the tone.

Gray was already on it and went to look for the golden key that had been left behind but couldn't remember where they had put it. Thankfully Lisanna did and gave it to him without further ado and Gray thanked her.

He tried injecting it with magic the best he could but nothing happened. He tried different ways but nothing seemed to work, Natsu seeing this got annoyed and grabbed the key. He tried it himself but it didn't work for him either.

Mavis watching this decided to leave and start preparations. They could handle the job of bringing him here.

They were having more problems than expected as the key had been passed through every hand in the guild but nobody seemed to have succeeded.

The key had been forgotten and everyone was arguing about how to do it and why it didn't work.

Koshi and Lina returned at this moment when the whole guild was fighting, but it wasn't anything new so they paid it no mind. They didn't realize what the fight was about until the key had been thrown at Gray by Natsu challenging him to prove him wrong. Gray didn't even argue and took the key trying once again to get Loke here. Natsu started laughing the moment it became clear that whatever it was that he was trying to do, wasn't working.

Gray put it down and started arguing again. Koshi took this moment and grabbed the key from the table and started pushing his magic into it and it barely took a second until Loke was standing there looking around.

Him appearing had stopped the fight.

"What took you guys so long? It's been a whole day" Loke asked and picked up Koshi who was still holding the key.

"It's been 3 months, but that's not important now. Koshi how did you do it?" Natsu asked and Loke realizing what he had meant started laughing.

"Don't tell me you all tried injecting the key with your magic?" He asked in between his laughs. Their silence only proved that they had and he started laughing harder.

"Oh God, this is gold. Listen, spirits are creatures that make contracts in order to be summoned. Of course you can't summon me unless you have a contract with me. I made one with Koshi before I left because all of you were passed out drunk." Loke explained leaving out the small stuff, for example that it was a one time contract.

"Yeah whatever, at least you're here." Gray said with a smile.

"Has she come back?" Loke asked and set the boy down.

"Yeah, she brought two people with her and she said that they would start preparing for the spell or something. It's going to take a few hours though." Gray explained and Loke nodded.

"Good you're here! Get ready, we'll track the connection to you and her in 2 hours and then immediately get her back." Mavis explained the moment she appeared in front of them. Loke didn't have time to answer before she had left again, but at least now they were at this stage where they could do something.

"Finally" Both Natsu and Gray said simultaneously and then glared at each other for saying the same things. Both could see the relief in the other but neither commented.


	11. Too Late

**I can't believe this story is coming to an end, one more chapter before it's over, and then an epilogue but that comes after. Next chapter is the last one, I've gotten halfway so I'm hoping that I'll be able to upload it as soon as possible so that I can either start a new one. I don't want to be one of those authors that starts a book as soon as an idea pops up but never finishes it. Nah ah, if it isn't a one shot then I'm not writing it.**

**Anyway, promised myself that I wouldn't upload this one until I received my project back, which I did with an positive result :D **

**That's about it with my life, hope everything has been good with all of you and enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

The Ice in Our Stars Chapter 11 - Too Late

"Alright to make a long story short!" Mavis screamed and drew attention to herself when she popped up on the bar.

"Our mission is to bring back Lucy Heartfilia, and to do that we need 3 things! First her spirit so that we can locate where she is!

Second the power to teleport just as she can! That's what Itri over here is for, he, just like Lucy can use teleportation however unlike her he never used the celestials!

Thirdly and finally, we need the power of time freezing which Najwa over here can do. If everything is going to go well then we need every second!" Mavis screamed as she introduced them individually and their purpose in the plan.

"Then what was that lacrima that you had before?" Levy asked and pointed out. Mavis looked at the bluenette and smiled.

"That was the backup plan, if for any reason the plan fail and we can't bring her back then we'll give her the lacrimas that is filled with Itris magic. It's supposed to blow up and you'll get magic for a split second and that's all you need to come back to this side." Mavis explained and they were all satisfied with the answer, everyone except Levy who still looked uncertain.

"Anyway, let's begin. Leo come over here so that we can start tracking the connection." Mavis said and gestured for him to come to her. He of course obliged and sat down on a chair that was stationed in front of a big table filled with different lacrima.

Mavis pushed one in front of him and told him to focus on Lucy and their connection as he put some magic in it. Itris would do the rest. Loke nodded and grabbed the transparent stone, it fit perfectly in his hand and he didn't waste anymore time as he focused. He thought of Lucy and the invisible, yet powerful bond that the had and only they could feel. He connected with her and the gate that was locked and he knew that she knew that he was trying to get to her because he could feel her emotions of anger, desperation and pleading for him not to come. She even reinforced the gate and created another lock on it.

Loke didn't mind it, his purpose wasn't to go to her, but to find her. When he felt the connection to her through the gate he quickly injected a small dosage of his magic into the stone. It immediately started working, shifting colors as it tracked the person that it needed to find. The whole guild watched the stone as it changed colors in front of them. It sped up until the stones colors blurred and you couldn't just point out just one. It was then, at it's peak that it shot out a yellow beam that disappeared into the atmosphere and couldn't be traced. It then settled at the golden color and waited for it's next job.

Mavis picked it up and observed it for a second before she was satisfied that it had done it's job correctly and then nodded, informing the rest that everything had went well.

She handed the lacrima to Itris that carefully accepted it, he had never been under this much pressure before and he didn't want to be the one screwing everything up because of clumsy hands.

He had never really worked with his magic in this way before so he didn't really know where to start, but keeping it simple seemed like an easy plan. He pushed some of his magic into the stone but nothing happened, except the heightening of color for a moment. He tried different ideas but nothing seemed to work, he had no idea how to get to the person on the other side or where she even was. He was about to give up and proclaim failure to them until he remembered something. He glanced over at the man in the suit before he sighed.

"I'm having some difficulties getting to her. Can I ask you something?" Itris said and looked at the man named Leo. He nodded tensely wondering what had went wrong, it couldn't be that Lucy was strong enough so that she could put a lock on a lacrima, and especially not from a dimension that didn't even have magic, or could she?

"When you are summoned, how does it work? You have to travel between dimensions, do you follow the connection to her or do you just pop up where your key is?" Itris asked while trying to formulate the question the best he could.

"This is going to sound corny as hell but it works kind of like a bridge between two persons. The key works as a first time call, and also helps if you don't have enough magic to summon us. After the contract has been made you don't actually need a key, the connection has been made between the spirit and the summoner. That all depends on how much magic you have though, without a key you would use up a lot more then with one." Loke explained but it didn't really clear up the confusion he had so he didn't have choice but to repeat the question. He didn't really want to since the whole guild was observing him, far too much for his own liking.

"I understand, but the connection between you and her, is it like bridge between your magics then?" Itris asked trying to picture it.

"Yes and no, it's like a thin thread that will always be connected between our hearts. We spirits just follow that string when we are summoned" Loke explained, he never really had to explain how this worked to anyone since usually the only ones interested are the ones involved and they knew how it was like already. It was a poor explanation but thanks to the vague words it gave Itris an idea.

He couldn't get to her because he was trying to open a gate in world that doesn't have magic. He should've focused on her and the connection to try and pseudo summon her, that way he could find her and then the dimension, but although theories were nice but they were useless unless the actually worked.

He tried to find the thread in the lacrima, and although it took a while he eventually found the thin almost non exist able thread that connected her and her spirit. He grabbed a hold of it with his own magic and immediately felt them both, it was such a foreign feeling and he couldn't help the warmth that seeped through to him because of their feeling of love towards each other. Loke flinched and jumped up as well when he felt the man invade on their personal connection. It was such an unusual feeling that all he could feel was disgust, it was like someone was holding his heart in their hand and could crush it at any moment. He didn't like it and wondered if Lucy could feel the same, but for her then he would endure.

"Found it." Itris informed them when they observed how Loke had acted and how all of a sudden a smile had been plastered upon the mans stoic and gloomy face. He had traced the connection to Lucy and then completely ignored her as he scanned the dimension and grasped which one it was. It took no more than a minute but it was all he needed to find out in where she was. When he did he let go of the thread and then returned the lacrima to Leo who immediately absorbed back his magic never wanting to feel that way again.

"I know where she is, I can open up a gate but it won't last for long. The other side will obliterate the magic and force close it." Itris explained and Mavis nodded, she had planned for this. That is why Najwa was here, she could freeze the time.

"Alright, let's move to an open area. We wouldn't want to destroy the town if anything went wrong." Mavis ordered and picked up the lacrima bomb as she guided the two people necessary to succeed, the other could follow if they wanted to but it wasn't a demand.

The guild didn't hesitate and followed her to an open area outside of town, far enough so that they couldn't even see it.

"Alright, Najwa. Are you able to do freeze it at the exact time he opens it. You'll only get seconds?" Mavis wanted to clarify the mission.

"Seconds is all I need." Najwa answered with a grin getting excited.

Mavis nodded and picked up the bomb lacrima getting ready to use it. She told the rest of them to stand back at a safe distance and although some of them argued they complied.

She told Itris to begin and Najwa to stand by and be ready. They both looked at each other and then simultaneously nodded. Itris opened up a portal and almost regretted that he did, it immediately began draining him of his magic and he was just about to close it when it stopped. Najwa came closer to him and looked at him wondering if he was ok, he nodded and she began focusing. She knew that on the other side there was a world that drained power like the desert did with water, but she never expected it do it so quickly. Time freezing required a lot of magic so she had enough to spare but with how fast it was draining her then she feared that she wouldn't last more than 5 minutes.

"You need to hurry up because we won't be able to keep it open for long." Itris said to the small girl and Najwa nodded showing that the he was correct.

Mavis nodded and turned around to the guild.

"I promise that I'll bring her back." She said, just enough for them to hear and then immediately after sprinted off into the portal right as it closed, nobody could comprehended what had just happened for a few minutes as they stood there digesting it.

"Did she just…?" Loke eventually said as he half pointed to the place where the portal had been.

"Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me!" Natsu screamed frustrated as he pulled at his own hair.

Najwa and Itris looked at each other and then at the guild members not understanding why they had such an reaction.

"Did you guys know that she was going to do that!?" Natsu screamed accusingly when he saw their unsurprising reactions.

"Yes?" Najwa answered as a question. Did they not know?

"What the hell?! Since when was that the plan?" Natsu asked and approached them, he knew that they weren't at fault but why didn't they tell anyone?

"Since the beginning, obviously? Did you guys not know?" Itris answered this time and stood in front of the pink haired man, protecting Najwa in the process.

"NO!" The whole guild screamed this time and both Najwa and Itris looked at each other wondering why the small girl had decided to keep this from them.

"Tell us everything, right now." Makarov ordered as he stepped forward, he had allowed Natsu's small outburst because it had given them answer they all wanted as a result.

Itris glanced at Nawja for confirmation and she nodded giving consent. It wasn't as if Mavis had told them to keep it a secret.

"There really isn't much to say, if you think about it then of course that would've been the plan from the beginning. Even if I opened up the portal, how could open it right in front of her? And even if by some miracle it did, why would she just trust it and jump in? That world is as big as this one, if not bigger. It's going to take a while to find her. When she does then she'll able to come back thanks to the crystal. It's imbedded with my magic so when it's time to come it will activate and open up a portal to this world." Itris explained and he felt the anger radiating off of some people, but the rest were somewhat understanding.

"Why was it such a secret then!?" Natsu screamed, not understanding and refusing to.

"Well, thinking logically and judging from your reactions then probably because you would have this exact reaction. Also the reason why you're having this reaction is probably because you yourself wanted to go, isn't it?" Najwa said as she stepped forward, she didn't like being protected. She was fully capable of protecting herself, she could just freeze the time at any moment and deal with the situation so although she appreciated it, she didn't really need it.

"Damn right I would've!" Natsu screamed back, he couldn't think of a better scenario than to get Lucy back himself while confronting his so called brother.

"I rest my case." Najwa said and shrugged her shoulders.

Gray decided to intervene this time before it went out of hands, and stopped Natsu by putting his hand on his shoulder to signalize that it didn't matter. Had he known this then he himself would've gone as well, but these two people weren't at fault.

"How long is it going to take before she comes back?" Gray asked instead, and Natsu was about to fight back until he heard the question.

"I don't know, that depends on when she finds her. I tried to open up the portal as close as I could by locating her from Leo's connection to her but I don't know if she moved or if I even succeeded." Itris explained.

"So… You're saying that it could take days, months even years?" Gray questioned understanding the situation and not liking it. Natsu didn't seem like he accepted it either and was about to say something else when Levy stepped up.

"When can you open up another portal and create another crystal?" If this was the firsts plan then she could use it and send more people there, the more they were the better the chances of finding Lucy.

"Logically, in a week but I'm not going to." Itris said, he knew their emotions were getting in the way of sane thinking. Him getting picked up the irrational flame magician wasn't something he didn't predict when he refused their plea.

"And why the hell not?" Natsu whispered dangerously low and Itris could feel the heat that started radiating of from him.

"Because it's irrational, let's say I do it and send in 10 people, just to say a number. Then what, now we have 10 people searching for her and then let's say 1 finds her and brings her back. Now we have 9 people still searching. Then of course you're going to ask me to send more people over to tell them to come back and so on and so on. It will be an endless cycle. I suggest your trust your master and believed she's going to bring her back." Itris explained and he could feel the grip listing as he saw reason. He released himself and brushed out the wrinkles.

"Besides, even if you made some deal before I sent you, like that you won't return unless all of you are together or something of the sort" He saw the small bluenette glare and he knew he got her train of thoughts right.

"It wouldn't matter because we're missing one very crucial piece of information. We don't know how time moves over there." Itris explained hopefully putting their thoughts of going there themselves to rest.

"What do you mean?"

"Ask Leo." Itris said and the people turned towards Loke who was brooding, before he sighed agreeing with the man.

"He's right. Just like 1 day for us is 3 months over here, there could be some similar kind of ratio over there. We don't know, 1 day here could for all we know be a 100 years over there." Loke said seriously, he knew he exaggerated a bit. He knew Lucy was still alive because of their connection but saying it like that made them realize the dangers of traveling between worlds.

Natsu knowing that they wouldn't let him leave to try and find her gave up. Although extremely reluctantly he started heading back to town for a drink. Most people had already left when the explanation had been given. Only they had lingered to argue about wanting to go as well.

Gray had stayed last watching where the portal had been and was just about to voice his opinion of wanting to go as well but before he could Loke had approached with Koshi in his hands to stop him from being foolish.

Gray had been saved by seeing his son's face and embraced him into a long and loving hug. Seeing Koshi reminded him, that he had a life he needed to care for. Leaving his son all alone because of his AND Lucy's selfishness wasn't fair to him.

Loke nodded when he saw them return and knew the plan had worked. When they were out of sight he turned towards the outsiders that waited.

"I'm not sending you either." Itris immediately said when he saw the lion about to speak.

"Why not? I'm a perfect candidate, I am immortal and sworn to protect her." Loke said and they agreed with him.

"Yes, but you're an celestial spirit. You're literally made out of magic. The world you come from is drowning in it. If I send you over you will disappear the moment you step through." Itris said and Najwa nodded agreeing.

"You don't know that. In Edolas, a world similar to the one she's in we were perfectly capable of existing." Loke argued and he saw both of them nod.

"Yes Mavis told us about that world. You're forgetting that in that world there has at least existed magic from before. Besides you were summoned by Lucy that could use magic in it so you took your energy from her. In this one you can't do that, despite that would you risk your life on a mission that might kill you before you even complete, no start it?" Itris asked.

"Yes, without her I would be dead anyway. My life is hers to take and if it means getting her back then I wouldn't mind." Loke answered without any hesitation whatsoever. Itris glanced Najwa who was smiling broadly.

"I admire her for having such a good and loyal friend. You're one amazing spectacle of a man. I wish the whole world were filled with people like you, and your ideals." Najwa said and held her thumb up for him to see, giving him recognition for being who he was. He didn't care about it, he wanted to be able to go find her, but the moment he was about to voice that, they disappeared. He didn't even blink, they just disappeared and he sighed. They had used their powers to leave.

He wasn't left with much choice and started walking back towards the guild where the rest of them were.

He wasn't that surprised to find that most of the guild had already begun drowning themselves in alcohol. While the more sensible people were discussing outcomes. He decided to join Koshi since he didn't know how long it would take until he might be able to see him again after he left.

"Le-Lo?" Koshi carefully asked not knowing where to start. Loke watched the boy wondering what made him suddenly take such a gloomy turn in the previously somewhat happy conversation.

"Do… do you think mom is going to come back?" He eventually asked and Loke resisted the urge to sigh. He knew this question was the one on most minds, so it wasn't such a surprise that it was on the poor boys as well.

"Of course she will. The first master is a person that will get things done when she sets out to do things." Loke said reassuringly and Koshi nodded, he wanted to believe it but couldn't and didn't.

"Then… Will she come back while I'm still alive?" Koshi finally asked and Loke cringed not being able to stop himself before his body reacted.

"I don't know." Loke finally said after reluctantly deciding to be honest. Lying wouldn't get either of them anywhere.

"If she doesn't… Can you tell her that I love her and forgive her? And that I'll always love her?" Koshi said and looked towards Loke with so much sadness that the lion felt how his heart was about to explode. He somehow willed his body to make a nod as an answer, while hoping that he wouldn't have to keep that promise. Koshi, satisfied with the answer left Loke alone to find his friend and get his mind on other thoughts.

Gray joined him instead after listening in on the conversation quietly.

"You know, it never occurred to me that you were immortal." He finally said and Loke looked at him wondering what he meant.

"Well, for us it's a certainty that you'll always be in our lives no matter what, but it won't be that way for you. We'all eventually disappear one by one and you'll be left alone with nothing but your memories of us." Gray said sadly finally understanding what it meant to be immortal. Loke smiled at his friend.

"It's always like this with celestials. I've been alive long enough to lose the people I love countless of times. I wouldn't have it any other way though. Even if all that remains of you one day will be memories, they will be cherished ones." Loke explained and Gray realized that he probably couldn't fathom the losses his friend had been through over his years.

"Then, if, she doesn't come back by the time we're alive. Would you mind telling her that I love her as well? That we all do?" Gray requested and Loke nodded very slowly. He didn't want to have this conversation but knew that he didn't have a choice, this was the only way for his friends to make amends in a way if they couldn't meet her themselves.

"I promise with the pride of the Lion." Loke finally said when he noticed that more members of the guild were watching and hoping the same thing. Him making that promise out loud made them return to what they were previously doing satisfied that their feeling was going to be carried through, be it a 100 years or a 1000.

* * *

Lucy was watching the green plains in front of her, they stretched out as long as the naked eye could see. These were foreign lands that she had never seen before, but they felt like home. She didn't move, she had no desire to.

"You're extremely late." A voice finally said and she smiled, she had missed him.

"I wish I wasn't." She answered and turned around to where Loke was standing looking at her trying to see if she had changed during the time she was gone, but she hadn't.

"Do you know how long we waited for you to come back? How many days Koshi cried himself to sleep because you weren't there? How the children of Fairy Tail were born, without ever getting to meet you?" Loke asked, he wasn't trying to guilt her but he wanted to let her know what her absence had caused. What her decision had forced her to miss.

"Was he alright? In the end?" Lucy asked wondering if he had been able to come over her not being there.

"Eventually." Loke answered and she nodded.

"Natsu?"

"He's never let go of his anger towards what you did." Loke answered and Lucy began crying feeling the sadness overwhelm her about the people she cared and loved being gone forever.

"And… Gray?" She hesitantly asked, she wouldn't be able to handle it if he told her that he had hated her until the last day of his life.

"He never blamed or hated you, he always understood why you did what you did." Loke said speaking nothing but the truth. Lucy nodded feeling happy about that at least. However those minuscule feeling of happiness did nothing to dampen the sadness and she collapsed in tears.

Loke had no desire to comfort her, on the contrary, he wanted her to experience these emotions so that she knew what it was that she had missed. So despite feeling the strong urge to make it better he resisted it.

"Where is this?" Lucy asked while the tears were still flowing.

"This used to be where Magnolia was." Loke explained and looked at the empty plains where a bigger part of their family had been at. Lucy nodded, she had figured as much.

"What happened?" She asked, wondering how many years must've passed for there not to be single thing left, not even a ruin.

"A battle. The whole town got destroyed in it, the soil became uninhabitable because of poison so it disappeared." Loke explained and Lucy nodded.

She didn't know what to ask next, there were so many questions that she didn't know which ones to begin from. She was mostly curious what had happened to her son, but she was also scared of the answer because she didn't want to know all the things she had missed. Thankfully Loke took the initiative.

"You have to promise me that you'll never ever do something stupid like that again. Next time, if there is one, talk it over with us and we'll find a solution together." Loke said as he watched her, she had turned around and smiled towards him when he had finished his request.

"There won't be a next time. I have no desire to start my life over again Loke, I'm not going to make new friends, find a new love and have more children. I'm perfectly satisfied with the old ones." Lucy explained, and Loke nodded.

"Wouldn't have it any other way, but I still want your promise." Loke said and Lucy gave a small laugh.

"Fine, you have my promise that I won't sacrifice myself next time." Lucy said for his satisfaction and the returned and watched the plains again imagining how it looked like when the town was still there.

"Good, now let's go. Koshi is waiting for you." Loke said nonchalantly and Lucy's head whipped around so fast that he almost regretted using this tactic because the rage in her eyes was enough for him to cower.

"He's still alive!? You told me he was dead!" Lucy screamed as she stood up.

"I never said that, you assumed and I never corrected, there is a difference." Loke said shrugging.

"You said the town got destroyed!" She screamed and pointed at the plains.

"And it did, because of the poison they had to move it." He explained.

"No no no no, wait a minute. You said Natsu had never forgiven me and that Gray had had understood until their last days!" Lucy accused and Loke raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah I did say that Natsu never forgave you and that Gray understood but when did I say that they died?" Loke asked and Lucy became baffled.

"Hold on, what about all those children of Fairy Tail that were born that never got to know me?!" Lucy screamed this time standing up.

"What about it? They'll get to know you now." Loke answered and Lucy finally realized that she had been played good on her emotions by her friend.

"How many years passed here while I was gone?" Lucy finally asked, and Loke grinned. THAT was the right question to ask.

"About 5 years give or take." He answered and got grabbed by his necktie and she pulled him down to her level.

"You sneaky son of a-"

"Now now Lucy, a lady doesn't curse." Loke said and laughed at her.

"You thought that was funny!? I wanted to kill myself, I was about to because I thought I had nothing to live for anymore. Why would you do that to me!?" Lucy asked with a scream and it caused Loke to turn serious.

"I never lied about the fact that Koshi cried himself to sleep, and that many members needed years to deal with the fact that you wouldn't come back, it took a while but they finally got over it. I needed your confirmation that you wouldn't do something stupid like that and make them all go through it again, because if you are then you might as well have stayed in that world because they don't deserve it." Loke explained and Lucy slowly let go as her anger towards him disappeared with his explanation.

"Alright fine, I might've deserved that." She finally admitted and Loke snorted at the understatement.

"How much time passed in that world?" Loke asked wondering how long it took the first to find Lucy.

"A month." Lucy answered, doing the math in her made her realize that she had made the right choice in sending them all over. Natsu would have a long satisfied life and it would be over while Zeref didn't have to suffer as long.

"Well no wonder you haven't changed at all since you left then." Loke said, and Lucy nodded.

"So Koshi's 11 by now?" Lucy asked and Loke looked at her with a smile.

"Almost, he's turning 11 in a week. What better present than his mother coming home?" Loke said and Lucy laughed out of happiness this time. She had never ever felt this happy in a while, all those feeling of sadness were forgotten in a second.

"Where is Magnolia now?" Lucy asked getting her magic, that she couldn't use for a month ready. She was going to jump right over with what little magic that had returned to her.

"A mile or so that way." Loke pointed in the right direction and Lucy disappeared the moment he had done it. Loke shrugged, he hadn't expected anything else and went back to the celestial realm only to appear in front of Fairy Tail where most people were. Except Lucy. He looked around trying to find her but knew she wasn't here, there would be more excitement if she was.

"Koshi is over there." Levy said and pointed towards the boy while eating with her own son. Loke nodded as thanks and left to go to the young boy who saw him approaching and smiled his way.

"Hey Le-Lo! Where did you go so suddenly?" Koshi asked curiously and Gray looked up wondering that as well.

"I had an emergency, what's going on?" Loke asked and Gray noticed the tense stature he had but didn't question it, people were allowed to have secrets but if he needed help then he knew he could always talk to them.

"Nothing new, Natsu and dad are arguing about stupid stuff again." Koshi answered and shrugged.

"It's not stupid!" Both men screamed in sync and Koshi laughed at them. Loke sat down and waited, and waited and waited.

When an hour had passed he started getting worried that something had happened, perhaps she didn't have enough magic to get here?

He excused himself and ported to her side, finding her in a restaurant close by the guild.

"What are you doing?" He hissed as he sat down in front of her.

"Eating." Lucy simply answered and took another bite.

"I'm not talking about that, and you know it." Loke said with a glare. Lucy contemplated lying but it wouldn't do her any good.

"I got nervous ok? I was about to enter through the doors when I realized… What if they didn't want me in their life anymore?" Lucy admitted and Loke sighed.

"They're not going to think that. They miss you, we all do. Don't waste anymore time being apart than you already have." Loke said the words he knew she needed to hear. She nodded agreeing, he was right. He usually was.

"Wait, how come Natsu can't smell you? You're literally a block away from the guild." Loke asked when he thought about how close she really was to them without them knowing. Especially Natsu, his smell had improved greatly over the years.

"I'm removing it, I have a thousand small portals open and I am sending it to a place he can't smell it." Lucy explained and Loke nodded.

"Then stop doing it." Loke ordered and Lucy nodded, but she didn't follow the order.

"I know you're still doing it, if you weren't Natsu would've come through that door already." Loke said after a minute and Lucy giggled.

"Alright, let's go. I'll let them down in a more open place and you can show me the town while we're at it." Lucy said and stood up, Loke sighed but followed.

"I know you're stalling." Loke said and Lucy made no move to disagree.

They walked the town that had been rebuilt in a similar way to the previous one. Loke guided her like a perfect gentleman and told her about places he knew she would be interested in. She smiled happily all the time, she had missed this place and had come to terms with that she would never be able to come back, but now that she was here then it was such a overjoyous feeling that she couldn't help but smile. Although her nervousity at what was coming was growing stronger it didn't stop her happiness.

Eventually their small tour was over and they found themselves at the outskirts of town, but Lucy didn't stop walking. She only stopped when they reached a close by hill with a beautiful tree standing proudly on top of it.

"Now. Stop stalling and do it." Loke finally said and Lucy nodded and released her magic of the chore and then waited.

"Do you think he'll able to smell me all the way out here?" Lucy asked after a few seconds.

"Don't worry, he will. He can smell this whole area and more." Loke said and Lucy nodded. It was impressing but she didn't expect any less if they had had 5 years to improve.

* * *

"Hi Daddy!" Lina screamed happily as she munched on an ice cream she had gotten from her aunt during their shopping tour.

"Sweetie! I missed you! Come over and give your daddy a hug!" Natsu exclaimed with open arms completely disregarding his argument with the Ice Queen.

Lina happily gave it and then greeted Koshi and Uncle Gray. She looked around the guild to see if her mother was there but couldn't see her. Koshi noticed the search.

"Le-Lo left a little while before." Koshi said and Lina looked at him and then smiled.

"I know. I saw him at the market with a beautiful woman. I was looking for mom." She explained and then took a bite of her melting ice cream. She hadn't expected the laughs from her father and uncle Gray. She looked between them not understanding what was so funny.

"So that was the big emergency, he still have his ways." Natsu said with a laugh and Gray joined in.

"So what's his type these days? Lina how did the woman look like?" Natsu asked laughing, he wanted ammo on his friends and now he had a chance to get some on one of the few that he didn't have any on.

"Um, she was beautiful with blonde hair and big coffee colored eyes. She was tall, and wore really strange clothes, oh and she was really thin." Lina explained the best she could from the small glimpse she had gotten. She didn't notice the grim mood that appeared the moment the explanation started coming.

"You don't think…" Gray asked doubtingly and Koshi looked towards his father, they had reached the same conclusion.

"No, I would be able to smell her if she was." Natsu immediately reassured and both Fullbusters nodded. It wouldn't be the first time they had false hope.

"It's either a weird coincidence or he's I don't know reminiscing?" Natsu suggested and Gray shrugged. Koshi tried to get his mind on other things other than his mom and started a conversation with Lina.

Gray stopped thinking about it, and Natsu did as well. There was no use worrying about it again, before they had run around all of Fiore when rumors had appeared or a similar woman had popped up somewhere. Both couldn't even count how many times their hopes have been crushed and how foolish they felt every time. They wouldn't fall for it again.

Natsu had ordered a drink and Gray decided to get one as well before their previous argument returned and they fought over which one of their children were stronger. Koshi and Lina who were the main characters of their argument paid it no mind, they had heard it before and would with most likeliness hear it again.

"Lina is definitively stronger than the Ice princess, she has the brains and that's all that's matters in a fight." Natsu said and Gray laughed at the stupid argument.

"Koshi is just as smart, he was and still is schooled by allot of different masters and teachers thanks to his grandad. When you're talking about smarts than he's probably smarter." Gray countered and Natsu shut up not knowing how to counter that.

"Her magic is better!" Was the comeback that came.

"If she'd been allowed to practice it then maybe, but how do you suppose it'll become better when you always intervene and never allow it to grow." Gray said and Lina actually joined in and agreed with her uncle.

"Sweetie, it's not that I don't want you to become stronger it's just that I'm afraid that you'll get hurt." Natsu said defending himself from his daughter's words.

The happy mood hadn't returned no more than 10 minutes before Natsu abruptly stood up with a boom knocking over his chair. He glared at the doors and then took a long breath, and then another and finally a third before he looked at Gray who caught on. It wasn't a coincidence after all, Loke has been with her.

"Go" Gray said quickly and followed Natsu who ran out the doors. Koshi followed as well because his father had told him to, but he didn't understand why.

Natsu ran fast, probably the fastest he had in a while following the smell in a straight line. The thought that he might be wrong never occurred to him, he trusted his nose. Gray was the one that started doubting it instead, especially when they had reached the outer part of the city and then even left it.

Natsu never stopped running so Gray and Koshi followed, the latter starting to have some problems keeping up.

Gray saw her before Natsu could point her out, she was standing with her back against them talking to Loke but he would have recognized her anywhere.

"LUCY!" Both Natsu and Gray screamed simultaneously, neither stopped running while she slowly turned around barely having time to react before she was engulfed in Grays embrace, he didn't waste any time and immediately kissed her. He heard Loke whistle and Natsu laugh, but he didn't care. He deepened it and then he felt her return it.

It was only when they heard Koshi scream her name that they broke apart, Lucy looking surprised when they did, not understanding what had just happened. Koshi had ran up to her and grabbed her waist hugging her while crying. Lucy couldn't help the surprise as she watched him and his much older stature. She was hugged like that by both of them and she tried to hug them back.

"Marry me" Gray said and grabbed her attention immediately. They looked at each other him completely serious and she confused beyond words. Koshi looked at his father and mother equally surprised by the question but curious about the answer. Loke and Natsu could be heard in the background both trying to stifle their laughter. Eventually her mind could form one word.

"What?"


	12. Forever More

**FINAL CHAPTER! This is my Christmas Present to you all!**

**Hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I had writing it. I am going to write an epilogue as well. That's why a certain character didn't have so much "screen" time XD**

**When I first started writing this I was planning on having it be a kind of cliched and predictable story and then all of a sudden it took an unexpected turn as my mind wrote this story, despite my previous thoughts, lord knows how that happened, but it was fun nevertheless. **

**Don't know if I'm going to put it in complete or not, should I do it after I write the epilogue or right away? Probably after... Meh, we'll see.**

* * *

**The Ice In Our Stars Chapter 12 - Forever More**

"What?" Lucy asked, she wasn't sure she had heard it right.

"Marry me?" Gray asked again, he didn't have the ring on him but he did have one at home. He dropped on one knee and held her hand, he created a small ring that looked similar to the one at home but made out of ice. He put it one without waiting for an answer, Lucy was in too much of a shock to react to what was happening but the cold feeling of the ring brought her back.

Lucy took a step back while looking at the ring and shaking her head no. She was in disbelief and Gray stood up waiting for her to understand the situation.

"Why would you? I mean since whe-, what?" Lucy stuttered completely confused as she held her head trying to get a grip of her mind and understand the situation. Gray chuckled and took her hand.

"Marry me." He asked again.

"No, I mean I lied to you so many times and I-"

"Marry me"

"I disappeared for 5 years, and-"

"Please marry me" Gray persisted and Lucy didn't know what more to say. She looked at him unsure and bit her lips.

"Are you sure you want me? I lied about Koshi, kept secrets about Zeref and then selfishly disappeared for 5 years and I-"

"I know I was there, but I still love you and I understand why you did it, even though I might not like it so please don't make me ask again. Please marry me?" Gray asked one final time and looked at her showing that it didn't matter, it was all in the past. She got tears in her eyes before she looked down then very slowly nodded. Gray hugged her before he gave her one more kiss that she returned right away this time.

"Well congratulation lover birds, took you a long freaking while to get to this point." Natsu said with a whistle and clapping, Loke laughed at the truth of it. Lucy laughed as well and turned towards her friend who watched her lovingly and extended his arms for a hug. She of course gave him one as she cried in his arms thankful that he was still her friend after everything. Natsu had gotten tears as well out of happiness that she was back and safe.

"You did a stupid thing and I never want you to do that again… but thank you." Natsu finished in a whisper and Lucy nodded in his arms.

"Mom?" Koshi asked after a minute of them hugging wanting her attention.

"Oh God Koshi, sweetie. I'm so sorry, look at how big you've become." Lucy said and fell to her knees hugging and getting a good look of him after. Koshi nodded, getting tearful.

"I read every letter you wrote... I didn't want to." Koshi said and looked at his mother. She nodded understanding that.

"I know, I'm sorry I… didn't want you to either" Lucy answered honestly and hugged him again, this time more tightly.

"Are you going to leave again?" Koshi asked so quiet and carefully making sure that only Lucy heard it. She was shocked over the question and repeatedly and furiously shook her head no.

"Never again." She promised and solemnly swore to keep this promise if it was the last thing she did in her life. Koshi nodded believing her and clinging to her harder as a result.

"I missed you." Koshi eventually said and Lucy agreed repeating it. Him being safe and alive was the only thing that kept her going in the other world.

"Now come on, there are allot of people that want to meet you." Natsu said knowing that the people in the guild would kill them all if they prolonged her absence any more than this. Lucy seemed to hesitate at that and Gray noticed as well as Loke. They didn't have time to react before Lucy stood up and created a serious mood.

"Will they still want to? I did a lot of things that weren't appropriate and even horrible. I'd understand if they didn't want to meet me." Lucy said and Koshi grabbed her hand during her speech making sure she wouldn't run away.

"That's stupid. The only one that was really angry at you was me, and I ran over here the moment I knew you were here. The rest were always understanding of your decisions." Natsu explained while starting to regret the grudge he had held onto during the years. Lucy slowly nodded and then immediately after got nervous.

This time Gray reacted and took a hold of her other hand squeezing it to show that it was going to be ok. Lucy glanced at him and he smiled her way and she couldn't help but give him a smile back.

"So moving on. What was the other world like?" Loke said as he pushed her to start walking and changing the topic to another one so that she would be distracted.

"Normal? Their technology was ahead of us in a lot of things, but I suppose the reason for that is because of their lack of magic. They didn't have any other choice than to create them to survive I guess." Lucy answered, and they listened as she explained the different machines, society and general living.

"Then how was Zeref?" Natsu asked carefully after a while.

"Mad, but at the same time a little relieved that his curse couldn't affect anyone other than himself. He could interact with people again and start a new life, and now that Mavis decided to stay behind I think they are going to be happy." She explained and smiled at the memory of when Zeref saw Mavis in that world.

"Is the curse still active?" Loke asked curious if that world could even dispel the Gods magic.

"I think so, we had no way of knowing for sure until a few years passed but evidently time moved slow compared to here so I never got to see if he aged but it will disappear eventually even if it hasn't already" Lucy said and hinted towards a topic that she didn't want to touch.

"How did the time move over there? You were gone for 5 years over here but it looks like you haven't changed at all." Gray asked and watched her as he tried to find any proof of aging but couldn't.

"A month." She said and they didn't doubt it, it made sense.

"What did you do during that time?" Natsu asked and Lucy smiled.

"Nothing special just surviving, but that's nothing compared to how much time has passed here. Tell me about what happened here instead, one month is nothing compared to 5 years." Lucy said and changed the topic, Natsu noticed the lie at the beginning but figured that he would have time to asked her about it later now that she was back.

"Loke said that allot of children have been born?" Lucy asked but didn't specific on anyone since she really didn't know what to expect.

"Well, you'll see." Gray smiled and squeezed the hand he was holding as they got nearer to the guild. Lucy nodded, accepting his silence.

When the guild finally came into view Natsu began jogging ahead and entered scanning the guild too see who were there and who weren't.

"EVERYBODY! Listen up!" Natsu screamed putting all of his power into his voice, most, if not all of them turned to him and he grinned too happy not to.

"We have a surprise!" He continued to scream and then dragged Lucy inside.

"Lucy's back." He then said as a matter of fact and relished in the shock that everyone displayed before them.

"Hi…" Lucy said and waved a little, not knowing what else to do. Levy was the first one to react and ran up to her engulfing her in a hug.

"You haven't changed at all." She sobbed and hugged her friend tighter.

"But you have, you grew your hair out…" Lucy said sadly and Levy nodded.

Wendy carefully approached and Lucy noticed but didn't recognize her immediately.

"Wendy…?" She asked unsure, the girl approaching was taller and had grown. She had the body of a full grown woman now and looked stunning.

Wendy nodded and joined the hug while crying, Levy moved away a little to give them some space.

"You really grew up, you're beautiful…" Lucy said low and Wendy giggled through her tears.

"Lucy, this is Kurogane. He's 6." Levy interrupted and pushed her son in front of her to show to Lucy. The boy looked curious but not at all nervous and Lucy giggled knowing he had probably gotten his father's personality.

"He has your hair, but Gajeels eyes." Lucy noticed and knelt down looking closer at him. He seemed unfazed and bored but his mother was crying and he didn't like it.

"Do you know my parents lady?" Kurogane asked trying to determine whatever she was a good or a bad person. Lucy laughed and nodded.

"Your mom and I were best friends you know." Lucy began but got interrupted.

"Are." Levy said and Lucy looked up unsure what she meant.

"Are best friends." Levy clarified and Lucy gave a smile.

"And your dad? Well I know him VERY well. In fact he once kidnapped me, tied me up and then beat me as well." Lucy said with a somewhat devious smile knowing that Gajeel was listening and wanted to mess with him a little, Kurogane gave a knowing look believing her. After all he had heard the story about how his parents had met.

"HEY! That is way out of context!" Gajeel screamed and approached them picking up his son when he was in front of him.

"Hello Gajeel, I see you've cut your hair." Lucy said with giggle in response to his glare.

"Had to, the kid was pulling at it every second he got as a baby and after he stopped I had gotten used to it so I kept it." Gajeel explained with a huff and Lucy laughed at the story.

"Dad, you need to stop beating up people you meet for the first time." Kurogane said accusingly and Gajeel growled annoyed that he was being lectured by his own offspring. He didn't like it that the whole guild had heard and began laughing.

"Where's Erza?" Lucy asked and looked around not seeing her.

"Oh, she's probably out with Jellal" Natsu said with a shrug and then walked inside the guild sitting down at a table.

"They finally got together?" Lucy asked happy for her friend and walked with Natsu to the table. People around her that she knew sat down with her and even some she didn't know.

"No, they're still too stubborn to do that. He still thinks he's guilty and doesn't deserve her and she keeps trying to convince him that he isn't and that he does." Gray answered and took her hand as he sat down next to her and Koshi took her other hand sitting down on the other side.

"Here you go, a strawberry milkshake on the house." Mira said and put down a large glass before she herself sat down.

Lucy graciously accepted and hummed with every sip.

"I missed this flavour." She said enjoying the taste.

"So tell me more about what had happened during these five years. Wendy, seeing anyone? Mira, you? Tell me everything." Lucy said and listened quietly as they talked and had a smile the whole time.

"Ah! Mom, welcome back!" Lina screamed when she saw her enter the doors in a hurry, red and out of breath. Lucy barely had time to turn around when she was in a big bear hug by Lisanna that was on her knees clinging to her.

"Thank God you're back…" Lisanna muttered with tears in her eyes beyond relieved. Lucy hugged her back not knowing what to say.

"Thank you so much for what you did. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." Lisanna continued to mutter and Lucy understood her feelings but she didn't really know what to say.

"Any time." Lucy said quietly and Natsu growled, there wouldn't be any more times.

"Where's Lucy?" Natsu asked and Lisanna composed herself and then stood up remembering.

"Right, sorry give me a second." Lisanna said and took a deep breath before she ran of and Lucy had the moment to give them a look that meant that she didn't understand.

"Lucy, meet Lucy." Lisanna said with a smile and held up a girl that looked around with curious eyes.

"You… named her Lucy?" She asked and stood up looking up at the small girl that was a replica of Lisanna but with Natsus colors.

"We named her after you." Lisanna clarified and Lucy looked at both of them not knowing what to say.

"How old is she?" She asked instead and Lisanna smiled.

"She's 3 and is turning 4 next year" Lisanna smiled and hugged her child happily.

"Wow, do you know whose magic she's inherited?" Lucy asked and stroked the hair while the young girl looked curious.

"Natsus, she almost burnt down the house thanks to that." Lisanna said and Lucy laughed.

"Hi Lucy, I'm also called Lucy. It's an awesome name isn't it." Lucy said and became surprised by the stretched out hand that were reaching for her but she took the child in her arms from Lisanna after she had gotten permission.

"We just call her Lulu because that's what she calls herself. The latter part of your name is a bit too difficult for a young child." Lisanna said, it would be a little difficult to have them both be called Lucy. Lucy nodded and then laughed with the child in her arms.

"She wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for you, so once again thank you." Lisanna said one more time and bowed. She would never be able to repay Lucy for what she did for the rest of her life but the least she could do is never forget.

"It's fine really, I didn't do it for this reason. Don't get me wrong it's a pleasant and cute surprise but I did it because it was the right thing to do." Lucy said and smiled towards Lisanna who was about to argue but Natsu gave her a look that stopped her.

"Now come and sit down, let's talk about everything I missed." Lucy said and returned to her previous seat this time with a toddler in her arms.

"Do you mind if I ask, how much time passed there. You've barely changed, except a little weight loss." Wendy asked and Lucy looked down at her own body not seeing the weight loss.

"Just a month." She said and then paid attention to something Lulu was trying to show her.

"Wow, so you're 5 years younger than us now. That means you're closer to Wendy's age than ours." Levy said after she did the math in her head. Lucy looked a little shocked at that, she hadn't thought about it that profoundly yet.

"Lucky you Gray, you get to be with a younger girl." Natsu said with a hollering laugh and Gray glared.

"That's rich coming from someone that was born in X300. There is literally over 400 years between you and Lisanna." Gray said and Natsu stopped laughing.

"That's different. My body is still that of an awesome 33 year old." Natsu defended and a good laugh was shared before Lisanna realized something.

"What do you mean 'he gets to be with'?" Lisanna asked, yes they had a child together but that didn't mean that they had an obligation to be together and shouldn't be pushed by her stupid husband.

"Oh right. They are engaged," Natsu explained after he realized that only he, Loke and Koshi had been there beside the two of them. The silence at the table was entertaining to say the least and it wasn't until Wendy broke it with an congratulation that the rest of them snapped out of it. It took even less time before a party had begun celebrating, her return and their engagement.

It was during the party that Erza had returned and given Lucy a hard hug since her armor was still on. Both had tears in their eyes and they talked a little about what had happened to Erzas life during the time she had been gone and Erza was informed of the engagement and another hug was given, this time to both of them and they looked at each other while their faces were planted on the iron and then smiled at each other.

The night passed and Lucy began to fall asleep in the guild enjoying being there and not wanting to leave. Gray noticed and picked her up and started carrying her home with Koshi following, the people in the guild began doing the same when the guest of honor had left.

"You know… I can walk by myself," Lucy said and looked up at the man she had promise to share the rest of her life with.

"I don't doubt it, but I want to carry you." Gray answered and Lucy was too tired to answer. Instead she watched her son and tried to take on all the changes. He had grown so much.

"Where are we going?" Lucy asked and leaned into his arms while continuing to watch her son.

"Home." Gray answered simply and couldn't help the smile that came with saying those words. Koshi ran ahead and opened the door when the house came into view, Gray thanked him but Lucy had already fallen asleep.

Gray carefully placed her on the bed trying not to wake her up and then left to sleep in another room. Koshi on the other hand just changed before he joined his mother on the bed, he wouldn't be able to fall asleep if he didn't feel her. He would just worry that she'd disappear again.

Gray seemed to have the same thought because he joined them both after only 20 minutes. It was surreal to know she was there and if he didn't make sure that she really was every second then she might disappear.

So he carefully spooned her from the behind making sure she didn't wake up while Koshi cradled himself in front of her, Lucy had reached out for him in her sleep and he cuddled in closer to her. However neither could fall asleep right away as they watched the woman in between them beyond happy.

That was how Lucy woke up at the rise of dawn as the sun shone in lighting up the room and effectively waking her up. She was surprised at the position she woke up in, her son in her arms and the man she loved holding her.

She couldn't fall asleep after waking up and thought about everything that had happened. It was surreal for her that 5 years had passed for them since it had only been a month for her. That thought brought her to another and she looked at her son and Gray before she used her magic to leave, opting for that since she didn't want to wake them up.

"Hello father. I hope you've been well during these years." Lucy said the moment she saw him sitting at his desk working, even though the day had just begun.

"I have. I hope the same can be applied to you." Jude said carefully. He was to shocked to have his daughter in his office after all these years, and even more since she hasn't changed at all.

"I suppose." Lucy said with a smile, her father had started getting gray hair during those 5 years. Jude nodded and stood up, he hugged her and she returned it.

"Welcome back, I hope that you'll stay this time." Jude said during the hug and Lucy nodded confirming that she would.

"Father, I came here because I want to burn those letters I gave you." Lucy said after they had broken up the hug and Jude grinned.

"It will be my pleasure to do so." He answered and started walking to the parlor where he pulled a candlestick that opened a secret room. Inside was a single safe that he opened and inside were the letters among other treasures he valued.

"How long have you been back?" He asked as the walked towards a fireplace and lit it up. When the fire was roaring he handed the letters to his daughter.

She looked at the bundle that was left, she had written one for each birthday, each holiday and some special ones for major events such as his wedding, first child and so on. But now that she was back they weren't needed anymore and she happily threw them in the fire and watched them burn up quickly. It felt good to watch them disappear.

"Now come sit down, we have some things to talk about. Tea?" Jude said and sat by the table where a pot had been placed by the servants. Lucy joined him, not knowing what to expect.

"So, seeing as you have an ice ring on your finger I can only assume the brat asked you to marry him and you accepted" Jude said, it wasn't a question. Lucy looked down at her finger, she was shocked that it hadn't melted, even more that it wasn't cold since she forgot about it.

"You knew he would ask?"

"It was right after you disappeared, he came here with Koshi and a pink haired man asking questions about your decision. After I answered and they were about to return he stayed behind and asked my permission to marry you." Jude informed and Lucy couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"And… you gave it?"

"Yes, if he could bring you back and I didn't have to use the letters." Jude answered and took a sip.

"Although I used some of them I suppose I could overlook it since you're finally back." Jude said as an afterthought and Lucy giggled. They continued to talk, about the family business, Koshi, big and small things that Lucy didn't notice that the sun had risen and was standing proudly at its highest point shining down on people signaling that it was noon.

"Where the hell have you been!" Loke screamed at her the moment he appeared by her side. Both Heartfilias looked surprised by his appearance but even more so by the tone he was having.

"Loke? Is something wrong?" Lucy asked and stood up not understanding the rage. Loke had calmed when he recognized where he was, she had left to go see her father.

"Everyone is worried about you, you just disappeared. You promised not to do that anymore." Like answered and looked straight at her with hands on her shoulders. Lucy furrowed her brows and then looked outside the window, finally noticing how much time had passed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think-" she stopped, not knowing how to finish it. The mere act of visiting her father, she had never thought they would become so worried because of that. On the other hand, she never thought she would be gone for so long.

"It's fine. Just go back, and from now on tell somebody if you're planning on leaving." Loke said and then disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Lucy turned towards her father who nodded understating that it was time for her to leave. She hugged him before she returned to the house, that was completely empty. They thought that they were at the guild crossed her mind but just before she was about to leave for it she saw her son's room and went inside instead.

It gave her a glimpse of who her son was, his room was tidy which surprised her because he always left his things everywhere when he was younger, there were plenty of books, and it made her smile because he definitely got his love of books from her. She was looking through the books when she noticed a small box and without thinking opened it. Inside were the letters that he had already received during her absence and she took them and ripped them up and then went into the kitchen where she burned them.

She had begun cleaning up the ash when Natsu and Gray came barging in the latter engulfing her in a hug from behind.

"Don't leave, please…" Gray begged and put his head in her neck trying to calm down, when he had woken up by Natsus scream because her scent had disappeared… he hadn't known what to do. The fact that she could disappear even though she was in his arms frightened him.

Lucy turned around in his arms and returned the hug, she didn't know that her absence would scar him so much.

"I'm sorry. I planned on returning before you woke up but the conversation kind of spiraled of and I didn't notice the time running away." Lucy explained and Gray nodded, Lucy could feel the small tremors in his body but now that she was in his arms they were slowly disappearing.

"Where'd you go?" Natsu asked, he had also begun relaxing now that she was in front of him again. He had kept tabs on her scent the whole night and the moment it disappeared in the morning, he had woken up and rushed over to see what was going on. Her disappearance confirmed his fears and he panicked.

"To my father. I wanted to burn the remaining letters." Lucy explained and started stroking Grays neck trying to comfort him. He refused to let her go. Natsu nodded before he sighed, he was being to jittery when it came to her.

Koshi also came in with Lina and Lucy smiled towards him from the hug. He hadn't been as worried as them because she had promised him not to leave anymore, but that didn't mean it didn't scare and make him a little paranoid.

"Where'd you go?" He asked while Lina observed the woman, she couldn't believe that the same woman she had seen in that cell so many years ago was standing in front of her completely unchanged.

"To grandpa, he says hi." Lucy answered and Koshi nodded.

Because she had frightened them by leaving so much, neither of them left her side for the rest of the day.

In fact, they didn't let her out of her sight for the rest of the week. She felt the need to say something after the third day but thought she didn't have the right too. She couldn't imagine how 5 years without somebody they loved had been. She had been without them only for a month, a hectic month so she wasn't as paranoid as them because she had her hands full.

It wasn't until a month passed that she had enough, it was fine that they loved her and wanted to spend time with her. She could accept that, but they were acting like every time she was out of their sight she would disappear and they panicked. She didn't want to create any more problems by just disappearing again but she needed to something, because they can't live their life like this by just running around her.

So she decided to live with her father for a while and wasn't surprised by them wanting to accompany her. Neither was she surprised when they were shocked by her forbidding them to do so.

"Why can't I come with you?" Gray asked once again as he followed her around the house as she was packing. Koshi had wondered the same, and was sitting by the backpack listening to her answer.

"Because that would defeat the point of me going." Lucy answered honestly before she closed the suitcase and watched her fiancé, challenging him to repeat his question as he had done before. He didn't, but he looked devastated and Lucy was about to crack and stay but took a deep breath instead and it cleared her mind.

"I love you, it's only going to be for a month and after that I promise that we'll never have to part again." Lucy said and hugged him, he halfheartedly returned it and watched their son instead trying to find an excuse to make her stay.

"Besides I have to work, I have been gone from the family business for 5 years. I have a lot of catching up to do." Lucy said with a giggle that no one shared and she rolled her eyes at them both.

"Alright, if that's all then I'm leaving. See you in four weeks, love you both." Lucy said and picked up her suitcase about to leave before Gray stopped her.

"Wait, I forgot to give you something." He quickly said and she looked at him skeptically and he at her pleadingly so she sighed and gave in.

Gray ran off and returned with the small box where her real engagement ring was in, her icy one had melted off a while ago and he had forgotten to give her the real one. Now seemed like the perfect time since she might stay because of it. She smiled when she saw the box and then looked at Gray waiting for him to open it.

He did so slowly because he couldn't decide if he should get down on his knee and propose again or not, but he decided not to but only because her expecting eyes told him to hurry and he didn't think that she would wait for the duration of the speech that he had written during those five years and then forgotten to say because he had just impulsively asked her to marry him.

Her gasping must've been one of the sweetest sound he had heard from her, except for when she said yes to the marriage proposal, because it meant that he had succeeded in buying the best ring.

"It's beautiful…" Lucy said and reached for it but got stopped by a Gray that had grabbed her hand.

"Allow me." He said and placed the ring on her finger and then admired its place that showed the world that she was his.

Lucy stood and watched the silver ring adorned with blue gemstones and gold detail around them.

She smiled and then looked at Gray, and he smiled back, his plan had worked.

"Nice try, I love you and I'll see you in a month." Lucy said and kissed him before she disappeared in front of them both.

Gray sighed and watched his son who shrugged and then left to go to his room.

Gray decided to not mope and do something he had wanted, he cleaned out the house and moved things around trying to make room for the life they were going to have together in this house.

Unfortunately that only took a few hours and he didn't have anything to do after. So he did everything he could think of to try and keep himself occupied.

It worked… but only for 2 weeks, he had done everything he could think of and went on missions, done odd jobs at the guild, anything really.

"You need to calm down. There's less than 10 days left." Natsu said to his friend who was fidgeting. He was behaving worse than when she was gone forever.

"You don't understand Natsu, I can't stand this…" Gray mumbled and chugged some more alcohol.

"What do you mean, she's a train ride away. You're acting like it's worse this time around then when she was gone for good and we had no idea if she would be able to come back." Natsu observed and Gray nodded agreeing with everything he said.

"It is and it isn't. I'm not saying that it wasn't hard living with the knowledge that I might not ever see her again, quite the opposite. It was excruciating." Gray began and Natsu didn't comment, he had no idea where he was going with this.

"I somehow feel that this is worse. Knowing she's here, that I can hold her, kiss her, embrace her but not being allowed to…. its torture." Gray explained and Natsu slowly nodded, he somewhat understood what his friend was saying, but at the same time, he didn't. She was here, that was all that mattered.

"Well, suck it up, there's only 8 days left." Natsu said with a clap on the back and then left when he saw his daughter's coming in with their mother.

Gray nodded, repeating the sentence '8 days' like a mantra to motivate himself to stay calm and sane.

It didn't work, and 20 minutes later he found himself sitting on the train traveling towards her, even though he had promised not to.

It was late by the time he came there, he had taken the last train and arrived in the middle of the night. He had thankfully gotten used to the freakishly large grounds over the years when his son and him had visited and even stayed over a couple of times. He had no trouble finding the house, but unfortunately he didn't see any life in the house which meant that they had retired for the night.

So in his clouded mind he decided to break in, and he did so successfully. He assumed that she would be in the same room she had been in before she disappeared and he was right. She was sleeping so beautifully and he approached the side of the bed and simply watched her.

"What are you doing here Gray?" Lucy asked and opened her eyes in time to see him flinch.

"I… I'm sorry, but I couldn't be away from you anymore." Gray said apologizing to try and not make her angry but not feeling apologetic at all. Lucy sighed and sat up, she didn't know what to say.

"Well at least you tried…" She mumbled and tried to wake up. Gray had waited enough and hugged her while giving her a kiss during the process. Lucy pitied him and hugged him, trying to calm him down.

"I'm here, I'm not going anywhere I promise." Lucy whispered and Gray nodded before finally relaxing. Lucy kept repeating the same word quietly and they both fell asleep.

The next morning Lucy woke before him and left him to his sleep. She had plans for the day and him being there kind of thwarted those plans but nevertheless she made sure to leave a note explaining her lack of presence.

Gray woke up and thankfully before he could start panicking he found the note and then felt stupid because he was about to have a heart attack without a reason. He read the note and then sighed, he needed, really needed to calm himself when it came to her, but every bone and fiber of his being was panicking when he couldn't see or hear her.

Lucy became exceedingly surprised when she saw him standing by the door waiting for her. He looked mad but she didn't understand why, she thanked the man in front of her and guided them towards the door. They had finished with the meeting and documents a while ago but had talked about other affairs.

"Did you sleep well?" She asked after she closed the door.

"Who was he?" Gray asked instead. He didn't like the way that punk had looked at HIS fiancé. She didn't seem to have noticed but he had.

"Oh, that was Robert. He's from the eastern part of Fiore and a business partner, why?" Lucy explained and Gray listened without saying anything.

"No reason." He lied and she nodded, assuming he was probably just curious about someone he hadn't seen before.

"Anyway let's go pack, we're going back" Lucy said and started walking towards the bedroom.

"What, why?" Gray asked shocked by the announcement.

"Well the whole point with me being here was to distance myself from you so that you wouldn't have panic attacks. That clearly didn't work so we're going back." Lucy said and Gray didn't know how to counter that since it was true so he just followed her.

"I… can't help it you know." Gray said as they walked, he felt the need to explain it somehow but it was hard to do when he himself wasn't sure why he acted like he did.

"I know. I'm not mad or anything." Lucy said with a smile, she really wasn't. If she was honest than she thought it was sweet and beyond cute, not that she would admit that. She knew it wasn't healthy to behave like that and wanted to help him but she didn't know how. She deemed that all he needed was time, time to get used to it and accept that she wasn't going anywhere and she would give it to him.

"Hi sweetie! Did you miss me?" Lucy asked after she had ported them to the house and saw her son sitting at the table eating. He looked mildly shocked by both their presence but figured out what had happened quickly.

"I did, are you staying this time?" Koshi asked and stood up to give his mother a hug, it had been a hard time without her but he understood her reasoning. Apparently better than his father did.

"Yes, if I'm going somewhere I'll be sure to tell you in advance." Lucy promised and Koshi nodded.

She joined him by the table and asked what he had been doing during her time away and Gray joined them.

It didn't take long until Natsu popped in since he had caught her scent in the air and Lucy rolled her eyes at the man. You would think that both him and her fiance would act their age but that proved impossible with every fight.

"So I've been giving your wedding some thoughts. I definitely think we should have meat on the menu." Natsu suddenly said and it surprised them both, in particularly Lucy because she hadn't given that any thoughts whatsoever.

"Of course food is your main concern." Gray said with an eye roll.

"Of course it is, I think meat would be the best choice." Natsu said with a nod agreeing with himself.

"Why are **you **planning **our**wedding" Gray questioned and put emphasis on 'you' and 'our'.

"Well you haven't said anything about it, somebody has to." Natsu countered and Lucy giggled. Gray decided not to comment, he wouldn't give his friend ammo by admitting that he had thought about it, a lot actually during the 5 years she had been gone.

He decided not to say anything until they were alone.

"About the wedding…" Gray began and Lucy looked up at him from his embrace, wondering what he had to say.

"Promise not to tell Natsu, but I have given it some thought." Gray admitted and Lucy giggled at the request.

"I think the colors should be blue and gold." Gray said sheepishly and Lucy snorted at the statement. She knew exactly how his mind had worked there.

"Wouldn't it be a little too cliché and predictable?" She asked and Gray nodded.

"Cliché is good. Predictable is better." Gray said and hugged her tighter. Lucy smiled and returned the hug.

"Alright, any other plans?" She asked and Gray nodded and started telling her about everything that he had thought about during her absence. She listened quietly and chipped in with a thought here or there but other than that he had pretty much planned the wedding to the fullest.

"Have you thought about the date?" Lucy finally asked and Gray stopped talking.

"No, there isn't a rush but I would like it to be sooner rather than later." Gray said and Lucy nodded, she didn't have any further questions than that and neither had he so they became quiet and slowly began to fall asleep in each other arms.

* * *

**One Year Later **

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride" The priest said finally finishing the long speech.

Gray smiled and looked at his wife who was smiling back equally happy.

He slowly gave her a light yet deep kiss filled with emotions, happy that he was there with her.

The clapping of the people around them broke them out of their trance and they turned towards the crowd and began running out of the church while people tossed flowers at them.

"From now on you are completely mine" Lucy said and he laughed.

"And you're mine." Gray said back and gave her another kiss that she returned.

Life was going to move on and there would be difficulties but as long as they had each other then everything would turn out fine because they had been through hell and back and they were still there. There wasn't anything that could change that, and they were both going to make sure of that.

**FIN. **


	13. Epilogue: Koshis Forever More

**Why? Just why did no one tell me that I hadn't uploaded the final chapter? It was done by new year, I had planned on finishing this story by 2016. I thought it was a little weird why no one commented anything about the final chapter, now I know why... IT hadn't been uploaded! Dang it. I'm sorry it took 7 god damn months for me to realize that it hadn't been uploaded. You all were lucky that I began reading this story to try and fix some of the misspells (of which there were allot, especially grammatical errors) and noticed it. I don't know when I'll be able to fix all the grammar faults and I'll try to but don't count on it.**

**Anyway enjoy this last chapter of this story and look forward to the next one! It's a Lucy x Laxus story in an ABO setting. (Alpha, Beta, Omega). Somehow I got the hankering for writing that and so I did, but this time however I won't upload it until I'm AT LEAST 3 chapters ahead. **

**ANYWAY ENJOY ALL MY LOVING READERS! You'll notice that this chapter is 4 times as large than usual since it is the last one. Extra for you all. :) I can finally put this story as complete!**

* * *

**The Ice In Our Stars Epilogue - Koshis Forever More**

"It's not my fault!" Koshi screamed at his mother annoyed at her meddling.

"Then whose is it? Because I sure as hell wasn't there, it was your mission and in such your responsibility." Lucy said in an even tone, she was not about to raise her voice.

"The bad guys are at fault." Koshi explained and Lucy huffed.

"The report we got back stated that the town had been frozen, frozen. So unless they could use the same magic as you then I'm going to say that's a lie." Lucy explained and held up the papers where the proclamation of the damage had been written. Koshi glared at them annoyed, he hadn't known that they existed.

"Alright fine, I might've frozen bigger parts of the town but I only did it to catch the bad guy, which I did!" He said and then tried to put focus on what really mattered, him catching the bad guy.

"I don't care, I couldn't have cared less if you DIDN'T catch him. You put a lot of uninvolved people in danger. They shouldn't have to live their lives thinking about a stupid magician wreaking havoc because he can't think ahead." She said and dared him to say otherwise. He did feel like retaliating, but he knew the look his mother was giving him and also knew that it was better not to.

"Lucy, sweetie, calm down. We destroyed some towns as well during our youth." Gray said and then held up his hands with the glare that came. Koshi looked at his father happy for the back up during the fight, and he couldn't help but give his mother a smug look.

"Stay out of this Gray. It was just as bad when you guys did it and hurt innocent bystanders in the process, I want my son to have more sense than that." She said and he turned around towards the bar, he wasn't getting involved anymore. He had tried.

"I DO have more sense than that, but sometimes accident happens." Koshi said quickly but his mother clearly wasn't buying it. She simply nodded in disbelief a few quick times before leaving the guild without saying a word using her magic and then reappearing with a bundle of papers that she threw on the floor in front of him.

"These beg the differ. Each one is a report on something you've destroyed during your missions." Lucy explained and Koshi looked at the papers that were at their feet. Lina felt like stopping his mother but her father had very wisely made her stand down. He knew better than anyone how Lucy worked because of these kind of things, he had enough experience.

"I get the job done, isn't that what matters the most?" Koshi eventually said, he himself hadn't known that there were so many reports but it didn't matter, he was proud to say that he had never failed a mission to date.

"Just getting the job done… that's what matters huh…" Lucy muttered slowly trying to comprehend what her son had said to her. He didn't notice but many of the guild members were sporting the same grim looks at what he had said.

"You're a magician, with that comes a responsibility. Do you know WHY you hunt down those bad guys? It's because they don't respect those responsibilities and do whatever they want." Lucy explained without stopping to allow her son to say a word.

"However it seems you don't know what that responsibility is as well. Right now, you're no better than them!" She screamed for the first time and saw her son flinch.

"Mark my words Koshi Fullbuster, if I receive another report of your negligence, a human hurt or a town destroyed I will remove your magic from you." She threatened while using his full name to show that she was serious.

"You can't do that!" Koshi screamed at her and she raised an eyebrow.

"Do you doubt my ability to be able to do so?" She asked and he shut up.

"No." He eventually answered and she tilted her head pretending not to understand.

"Then do you doubt my determination?" She asked but Koshi never answered. He didn't want to.

She nodded to herself satisfied that her son had understood and began leaving the guild, she had another appointment to tend to.

"It's my magic…." Koshi muttered as a childish retaliation thinking his mother hadn't heard.

On the contrary, she had and stopped walking before she slowly gave him a glance over her shoulder and then she began walking again. She merely put her hand up and snapped her fingers without saying a word and Koshi dropped to his knees.

Lina finally approached him wondering what had happened and he stood up annoyed before he flexed his fingers trying to make his magic react like he had a thousand times before but it wasn't. He felt like he had overused his magic and was drained, he wondered if normal people felt this depleted at all times.

"She really stole my magic." Koshi said angrily and tried yet again to try and get a reaction but failed.

"She can do that? With a snap?" Lina asked in a secret admiration.

Gray walked up to him as well asking him if he was alright.

"Why couldn't you have married a less stubborn person?" Koshi asked out of frustration and Gray laughed.

"Her stubbornness is cute." Gray said, it was one of the things that worked for them. Since he was so laid back about most things and she was stubborn to the bone they somewhat balanced each other out.

"You're the only one that thinks that." Koshi said and sighed, he wondered how long his mother would be angry and keep his magic away from him. Gray only shrugged and patted his back not knowing what else to say.

Koshi knew that right now he wouldn't be able to convince his mother to return his magic so he settled for a day as a normal person and decided to be lazy. Lina followed him as she usually did and they passed the time together.

Natsu watched his daughter go feeling annoyed that she still liked the Ice Queen's son, he had hoped that it would just be a childhood crush and that she would grow out of it but she hadn't.

He took out the frustration on the man sitting in the bar hitting him, their children were reaching an age where puberty could cause them to make bad choices and every time he thought about it he felt like punching the living daylights out of Gray.

Gray retaliated by hitting him back not understanding why he had even been hit in the first place and before they knew it the whole guild joined in as they always did.

Koshi dragged Lina along as they walked around town, shopping and wasting more money then they should but it was the only thing Koshi could think of as revenge towards his mother.

However as mad as he was at his mother he wouldn't believe anything bad about her so when he saw her exit a house he didn't recognize with a man he didn't know while trying to fix her disheveled clothes, he didn't know what to believe. In fact he stood there frozen looking lost. The thought of his mother cheating on his father wasn't a pleasant thought and he urged Lina to look as well, just in case his angered mind was clouding his judgement.

"Oh my…" She said very quietly and Koshi snorted, she had reached the same conclusion. With that he ran towards his mother trying to catch her in the act and get some answers out of her but before he could reach her she disappeared and he let a frustrated scream out. His next plan was catching the man but he was gone as well so he walked back to Lina who hadn't moved because of all the shopping bags.

"I'm sure there's an explanation for this." Lina said when he was within earshot, trying to comfort him. He nodded while his mind went into overdrive, all the anger from before just disappeared like that and now he was focusing on trying to find a plausible explanation.

Lina stood quietly, she was trying to think of a reason as well but she was more focused on trying to make her friend calm down rather than find an explanation for the situation.

"Alright that's it." Koshi said after some silence and Lina looked at him wondering what conclusion he had reached.

"Let's go, we're dropping all of this of at home and then I'm going to stalk my mother." Koshi said determined and Lina sighed. She wanted no part of this so she wasn't going to comment.

"You're able to shift into mice right?" Koshi asked with a glint in his eyes and Lina looked down, he wasn't about to let her sit this one out.

* * *

"Alright, since mom is a such a good magician that she's able to feel magic around her and is able to know where people are we need to mask your magic so I asked Grandma Porlyuscia and she gave me this masking potion if I promised to leave her alone and not bother her." Koshi said with a grin and held up a bottle with a golden liquid and Lina cringed, potions never tasted good.

"Why do I have to do this?" Lina complained but still took the potion from him.

"Because I can't use magic right now so I'm pretty much useless." Koshi explained as if it was obvious.

"You don't need magic to follow people, just a good disguise." Lina immediately said, and Koshi sighed.

"True, but I don't know how she's removing my magic. If she's doing it by using her own magic then that means that she'll be able to locate me at the ends of the earth if she wanted to, so I can't follow her around. Wouldn't you be curious or even suspicious if you felt somebody following you around?" Koshi asked and Lina sighed, why was he so smart only in these situations?

"Fine, but I still think you're overreacting. Your parents are one of the few people that are living proof that love is real. With everything they went through over the years. The odds that she would begin to cheat now is ludicrous. If she didn't cheat when they weren't together, why would she begin now?" Lina scolded with a pout and Koshi listened quietly for once.

"Who says she didn't?" Koshi asked and Lina gave him a glance not understanding.

"During the first 5 years of my life she could've been with someone, grandpa won't tell me and neither will she. During all this time she's never talked about what happened in the other world either, every time the subject comes up she changes it. Not even Le-Lo knows." Koshi said seriously, if he was being honest, the thought of his mother with another man had never crossed his mind but with the scene he had just seen, he had become a little suspicious.

Lina couldn't defend against that argument so she didn't, she had often heard her parents talking about how nobody knew what had happened to her in the other world.

"So I just drink this?" She asked with a sigh and he nodded with two thumbs up.

"Did you at least ask how long of an effect it has?" Lina asked right before she was about to swallow the liquid.

"A week." Koshi answered, and Lina immediately put the bottle away.

"A week?! I'm not following her around for a week!" Lina said not believing her ears.

"It's fine, I asked on your behalf to Mira about a fake quest that will take a week and then I told your parents that you're leaving." Koshi explained and Lina gave him a blank look, she didn't doubt that her aunt would do that, if Koshi had lied a little to push her buttons.

"Dad will be able to know that I'm here, he can smell the whole town." Lina then said finding a flaw in the whole plan.

"Don't worry, I made sure that Porlyuscia made a potion that erases your presence completely." Koshi reassured and Lina gave him a glare.

"If you could think this much during your missions and not destroy things then we wouldn't even be here." Lina complained and Koshi disagreed.

"Mom would still be cheating, we just wouldn't have been aware of it." Koshi pointed out and Lina looked at the bottle. She knew he was overreacting, he was probably still mad over the loss of his magic and wanted to make his mother feel bad or expose her as revenge. She didn't feel like indulging in his revenge but she also knew that he wouldn't listen to her right now.

So she quickly chugged the drink hoping not to get the aftertaste but failed. She waited for a few seconds and then looked at her friend for an answer.

"I don't know, no magic remember." Koshi said after he saw her look and shrugged.

"Wait, she said smell would be erased…" Koshi said as an afterthought and leaned in against her neck and Lina blushed crimson at how close he was. She could hear her heart speeding up and she wondered if he was able to hear it.

"Yup, you don't smell like you usually do, in fact you don't have any smell at all, it's like I'm breathing in the air ." Koshi said with a nod, and Lina's blush disappeared with his words as a ghastly pale one replaced it.

"I don't smell!" She screamed at him horrified.

"Yeah, that's the point." Koshi said with a grin and a nod not understanding the real meaning behind the outburst.

"I don't smell normally either." She said period and Koshi tilted his head, somewhat understanding what she had meant.

"Of course you do? All humans have a distinctive smell that belongs to them. Shouldn't you know that, with your dad and all?" Koshi asked and Lina banged him hard before she shifted into a small bird and flew away, she wasn't going to dignify that with a response.

Koshi watched her fly away and then went back to the guild. He sat and talked with Lu-Lu who loved playing with her magic, despite it being somewhat dangerous.

"You alright?" Loke asked as he appeared in front of the children, he had just heard about what Lucy had done, and honestly? He had laughed.

"Le-Lo, what are you doing here?" Koshi asked and watched him as he sat down in front of them.

"I heard what your mother did so I came to see how you were holding up, I thought you'd be more mad." Loke said honestly and Koshi shrugged.

"I don't really know what she hopes to accomplish by taking my magic, if she wanted me to learn how to control it, shouldn't she make me train or something?" Koshi answered and Loke nodded, that made sense.

"Because the purpose of taking your magic was never for you to understand that you should have better control over it, I know very well that you have good control over your magic. I want you to understand how it feels to be helpless while your life is in somebody else's hands that couldn't care less and does whatever they want." Lucy said as she passed them, she had heard the question and answered but she didn't stay to talk. She was there to talk to the master.

Koshi watched her walk past them and then looked around for Lina but couldn't find her. He wondered if she had become mad enough to not go through with the plan, but he eventually heard the chirping of an insistent bird and knew she was close.

Loke smiled before he got up and went to get a drink and sit among the older people, but not before ruffling Koshi hair as he left. Koshi scoffed at his mother words, he couldn't care less about his magic now, he wanted to catch her so that he could confront her, but...

As expected, his mother never repeated the previous offense and she never showed any signs of ever doing anything similar either. At first it had somewhat calmed him when Lina reported that after two days his mother had been doing normal things.

Unfortunately he couldn't help Lina but his father had found him a way to pass time that excited him. His old teacher and his family would be visiting soon and he really wanted to show off his magic skills but it only made him madder when he couldn't because of his mom.

Nevertheless he was excited because they hadn't met in a while. Besides, Lyons children would be coming as well and they were the closest thing he had to cousins, they had never met so he was curious about them.

"Go get a gift or something, you're useless right now." Gray said and shooed him out with Lu-Lu and some money. Koshi sighed at the very poor attempt to make him buy gifts for his cousins.

So he decided to just laze around town instead, with the young girl whose parents loved to put her in his care ever since he became unable to use said magic.

He and Lu-Lu found themselves by a cafe eating ice cream, her more than him, while she explained about all the magic she could use. He entertained her by listening to her and her rambling while she focused on the big bowl in front of her.

"And then I can create fireflies to light up the dark." Lu-Lu explained and Koshi nodded.

"Fireflies? Can you make one now?" He asked and Lu-Lu stopped eating and clapped her hands before a few small warm orbs appeared that were in no way harmful or hot but would definitely illuminate the surrounding.

"How awesome, not even your dad can make that." Koshi said and praised her with a white lie, he didn't actually know whatever the man could or couldn't but at least he hadn't seen it. Lu-Lu seemed to like it because she laughed before returning to her ice cream merrily and then continued to brag about her spells. They kept talking like that until the sound of a fight caught Koshis attention.

"Lu-Lu? Can you promise me not to move from here, no matter what?" Koshi asked and interrupted her talking, she looked at him before she nodded her head, making the promise.

"Good girl, I'll be right back." Koshi promised and then moved towards the poor girl that had two men ganging up on her.

"Hey sorry that I'm late, couldn't find you!" Koshi screamed and stepped in front of the girl with the pale blue hair and blue eyes. She gave him a strange look and he knew why, they were strangers.

"Who the fuck are you!?" One of the much bigger men roared at him because he had interfered.

"I could ask you the same question, can we help you with anything?" Koshi said and reversed the question back to them.

"Yeah, you can make it so your girlfriend behind you fucking drops on her knees and beg us for our forgiveness." The other man said and he gave her a glance wondering what she had done.

"Well I'm sure whatever happened can be solved without fighting so how about we all just calm down and take a deep breath." Koshi said and held his hands up right before a hand came flying towards him which barely missed him and he couldn't believe it. By now he would've beaten them up with his magic but since he didn't have any it gave him very limited options.

"Well I can see that this can't be resolved peacefully so… I think… we should… RUN!" Koshi screamed and grabbed her hand before darting away and taking some very clever alleys and turns that only a local would know in order to lose them.

"Are you alright?" He asked when they had stopped in a alley not to far away from where they had been.

"Yes I'm fine, thank you for helping me." She said with a smile and he smiled back.

"What happened there?" He asked and she looked uncertain.

"They bumped into me and then claimed I had hurt them so they demanded compensation." She explained and Koshi nodded, that had happened to him as well once but he had just frozen the people involved and kept on walking.

"I'm sorry, I'm Koshi, nice to meet you." He said and held out his hand, she smiled and gave hers.

"Kristall." She said and they stood still for a while observing each other, he looked at her hair wondering how it could be so pale blue that it almost turned white yet at the same time the color was visible, he had never seen anything like it. It was beautiful. She observed him and looked into his eyes that looked like an ocean, deep and beautiful.

"Oh shit, I forgot Lu-Lu!" Koshi finally screamed as his mind brought him the memories of her. She looked shocked at the outburst wondering what a lulu was.

"I have to go, bye." Koshi said and turned to leave but she stopped him.

"Wait! I'm… lost, do you… do you mind if I come with you?" She asked with a small blush and Koshi nodded thinking she was beautiful like that and his heart started pumping faster and he wondered what was wrong with him.

They didn't say anything more as she followed him back to where they had run away from, Koshi was aware of her following him but his mind was going into a paranoia hoping Lu-Lu would have kept her promise and not moved.

The moment he saw her sitting on the chair dangling her feet while playing with her fireflies he let out a relieved sigh and ran up to her picking her up, beyond happy.

"Good girl Lu-Lu!" Koshi screamed happy and tossed her up in the air before catching her, enjoying her childish laughter.

"Do you want some more ice cream for being such a good girl?" Koshi asked and put her on his arms but she giggled before she shock her head.

"I want pancakes!" She screamed and tossed her hands up. Koshi chuckled and sat her down again before turning towards Kristall, he pulled out a chair and signaled for her to sit down before he sat down himself.

"Lu-Lu, this is Kristall. Kristall, this is Lucy or Lu-Lu for short." Koshi introduced and Kristall nodded while Lu-Lu said 'Hi' before she asked if she could get chocolate and strawberries for her pancakes.

"Of course you can, do you want some Kristall?" Koshi asked and she looked a little uncertain before she bit her lip and accepted. He nodded before he called over the waiter and ordered for them.

"So, um… Is she your sister?" Kristall asked somewhat timidly and Koshi looked at her.

"No, but she might as well be. Our families spend a lot of time together so I end up taking care of her when they don't have the time." Koshi explained and she nodded.

"What about you, any siblings?" Koshi asked to keep the conversation going.

"Yes, an older sister and a younger brother." She said with a smile and when she asked him for the same information he explained that he was an only child.

"So how did you get lost? Or where do you need to go?" Koshi asked and took a sip of the water he had from before.

"I came here with my sister to do some shopping but she returned early so I decided to look around town but before I knew it I couldn't find my way back and then I ran into the people from before." She explained and Koshi nodded.

"Well, I can bring you back to where you need to go if you know the street name." Koshi offered and she thanked him with a smile before the waiter came with their orders and they continued to talk while eating and got to know each other. Surprisingly enough they had a lot in common and Koshi found himself enjoying her company.

"I don't particularly like magicians, they are dangerous and always cause trouble where there shouldn't even be any." She said when the topic of magic had been brought up. Koshi didn't have a good response to that and he didn't want to say that he was one so he didn't.

"Is it… from personal experience?" He asked carefully and she laughed bitterly.

"Yes, my father is a magician, a good one and I have to admit that when I was a child I loved magic but when I grew older it brought our family nothing but trouble." She explained and Koshi listened not understanding at all, but he didn't have to ask because she elaborated.

"Whenever he would go for mission, we would hope he was alright or when he had done something he shouldn't have during those missions, the council would create problems for us. It's just not worth it." She explained with a somewhat sad smile. Koshi scratched his chin with his finger trying to think of a way to explain but couldn't.

"That… that doesn't mean that your father doesn't love you. I know magicians can, occasionally, bring trouble with them. I live in a town that has one of the biggest magicians guild in the country so I should know but, they never mean any harm. All they want is happiness for their friends and family… I think." He said and she smiled, it wasn't like a few words would make her change her mind immediately but it did give her something to think about.

"I know." She answered with a smile. She knew well enough that her father loved all of them more than anything and would do anything for them, even if it involves taking dangerous missions to protect them, but perhaps he hadn't thought that deeply of the aftereffects of every choice he did.

"Would you mind coming with me to do some shopping? I have to buy gifts for my cousins but I don't know what to get, they are girls" Koshi asked and interrupted her thoughts and she looked a little shocked before she looked uncertain.

"I don't know… What do your cousins like?" She asked and he shrugged.

"Just get something that you would want. At least if you pick it they might like it, if I pick it I know for certain that they won't." Koshi said with a laugh that was so infectious that she began laughing too before she decided to join him.

He payed for the food and picked up Lu-Lu and then waited for Kristall to come with them. She didn't hesitate and followed him around while he showed her the different kind of shops the town had to offer and told her to just pick one that seemed interesting.

She picked a jewelry store and they ended up buying some rather simple but beautiful earrings. He thought they fitted her better and felt a little sad that she didn't get them instead but he doubted she would have accepted them either way.

They continued to walk around until it got rather late and Lu-Lu became cranky. She even fell asleep and Koshi had to carry her because he still needed to bring Kristall to where she was staying.

"Well it was nice meeting you, next time try to not get into so much trouble." Koshi said when they were in front of the hotel where she was staying. She giggled and thanked him for helping her.

"I hope your cousins like the earrings, and I… hope… I'll see you again." She said carefully and Koshi smiled.

"Sure! If you're still in town then no problem!" Koshi said and she gave him a smile back before she turned and ran inside the building without a word while Koshi wondered why she had ran?

He left and brought Lu-Lu to her home where he put her down in her bed. He didn't know what to do after that and decided to find Lina, her week would be over in three days anyway and he wanted to see if she had found anything or not.

Easiest way to do that was to first find his mom because wherever she was Lina would definitively be as well. That wasn't hard since she was at the guild like usual with his father and their friends.

"Did you buy good gifts? They'll be here tomorrow" Gray asked when he saw his son approaching them and he nodded before he held up the bag.

"What'd you get?"

"Earrings." Koshi answered before he put the bag down.

"Earrings?"

"Yes, earrings." Koshi confirmed and his mother took the bag to see them.

"You have good taste in jewelry, not something I expected." Lucy said honestly and observed the stones that shined when the light hit them correctly. Koshi didn't feel like telling them that he got help since his father and Uncle Natsu would definitively mock him, not to mention Le-Lo.

"What did you get for their son?" Gray asked after he had dug in the bag but came up with nothing.

"Son? They have a son?" Koshi asked and felt like it seemed familiar.

"Yeah, I didn't tell you? They have two daughters and a son." Gray explained and failed to see the somewhat shocked face and uncertain look.

"You… wouldn't happen to know their names would you?" He asked not knowing what to expect.

"Why wouldn't I know it?" Gray asked but Koshi just shrugged, he himself didn't know so so it wasn't that far stretched.

"Their oldest daughter's name is Talia and the younger ones name is Kristall. Their son's name is Leith." Gray explained and became surprised when Koshi began laughing.

"Well at least I know that they'll like their gifts." Koshi said mostly to himself before he left and took the bags with them. He still needed to buy a gift for the guy, but he figured that anything with magic might be cool.

He stopped walking when magic popped into his mind and he remembered that Kristall hated magicians and for some reason, a reason he didn't know, he didn't want her to hate him.

"Can they all use magic?" Koshi asked his father who nodded so he turned back so that he could listen.

"Yeah, their eldest and youngest uses water magic while the middle child uses ice like you." Gray explained and didn't notice the flinch that Koshi made because Lucy had begun giggling.

"Juvia really had her dream come true." Lucy said and Gray made a small grimace.

"Is that his wife's name?" Koshi asked while he sat down a little curious. Lucy looked surprised, very surprised at the question and Koshi wondered why.

"You didn't tell him?" Lucy asked and Gray shrugged.

"Juvia is your father's previous fiance." Lucy explained and then laughed at her son's expression, he had his mouth open wide. He didn't even understand how, just how THAT situation had played itself out.

"You were engaged BEFORE mom?" Koshi asked, the shock making him ask the question.

"Kind of?" Gray answered. He didn't like to think about it much less talk about it.

"And then you broke up and she married Lyon-sensei?" Koshi asked and Gray nodded.

"How come I didn't know about this!" Koshi asked completely bewildered.

"Why should you know about it? It was useless knowledge, most of it played out before you were born… I think" Gray answered and hoped that the subject would drop. Lucy sensed it and wisely directed the conversation.

"Did you even get something for their son?" She asked knowing he hadn't and Koshi looked at his mother.

"No, I didn't know they had a son so I didn't buy anything." He answered honestly.

"Then get out and buy something for him." Lucy scolded and shooed him away. He had planned on going anyway so he didn't fight her on it.

By now most shops were closed but him being a magician made it possible for him to enter the magicians shop without the shop keep. There were of course magic in place to make it do that you didn't just walk in, take something and then walk out without paying.

The only problem was that he couldn't use his right now so he wasn't sure if he could enter or not. It seemed that he didn't have to worry because the doors opened for him. He walked around leisurely looking for anything that might be good for a water magician.

He figured that a spell book much like the ones he had at home would suffice. The good thing about a magician's shop is that they had a variety of things to choose from and he was beyond thankful that there was a water spell book. The only problem was that there was only one, but it would do. He just hoped that Leith didn't have that particular one already.

So he payed and jogged back to the guild eager to continue the previous conversation, he was curious about how his teachers wife had once been engaged to his dad. It was ludicrous and kind of unthinkable.

"I'm back! I bought a book, now tell me the rest of the story." Koshi said and put the book on the table and his dad gave it glance before looking at his son, he really didn't want to talk about his past, especially women. Lucy gave him a glance and Gray noticed, he sighed before he ruffled his hair and then nodded.

"Fine, but I'm only telling you this once. I don't want any more questions about this after." Gray said and Koshi nodded eagerly. He was excited for several reasons, learning about the woman that affected so many people. His father, teacher and she was Kristalls mother.

"It's kind of a long story but it began when a guild that doesn't exist anymore attacked a couple of our members." Gray started but was interrupted.

"Who got attacked?" Koshi quickly asked and looked a little alarmed.

"Gajeel that actually used to be a member of that guild attacked Levy and her teammates." Lucy explained and laughed at the shocked expression.

"And now they're married?" He asked and looked around for them.

"Yup, funny how life goes." Lucy said with a smile.

"Anyway, this of course angered Fairy Tail and we sought revenge so we ran over and started a fight." Gray continued.

"But what we didn't know was that this was all a plan for us to leave Magnolia defenseless, or more specifically to leave your mother here alone and defenseless, we found out later but they had used our lack of presence to kidnap your mother." Gray said and then stopped to lean back while he folded his arms. Koshi looked at his mother, he hadn't heard this story and Lucy rolled her eyes before she caught her son's gaze.

"Yes it really happened." She answered the unspoken question and Gray laughed.

"Why didn't you just use your magic to port back to safety?" Koshi questioned and Gray looked at his wife equally curious, he hadn't really thought about it.

"At that time I couldn't use my teleportation magic because it was hidden and since my keys were taken… I didn't have much choice than to play along." Lucy said thinking back to the days where she was acting because she didn't use her magic properly.

"Anyway, the woman that captured your mother is called Juvia Lockser and she's a great water magician." Gray continued and then stopped to think about how detailed he should make the story.

"Natsu had overheard the conversation where they had discussed Lucy's kidnapping and while we were retreating he went to rescue her." Gray said and Koshi looked uncertain.

"You lost…?" He asked disbelievingly, this guild had some of the strongest members in the magic world.

"No but they had sneak attacked the master and we had to retreat in order to treat him." Gray quickly defended.

"Natsu successfully rescued your mother and we found out that the reason they attacked us from the beginning was because they were jealous over the fact that your mother had joined our guild since she was from one of the richest family in the country." He paused because he wasn't sure how he should continue, and he really didn't want to drag this story out too much.

"The other guild came for Lucy after she had been rescued and we defended our guild and your mother. It involved fighting their mages and I ended up fighting Juvia." Gray said and skipped some information, he didn't have to know that they had had a moving guild.

"The fight ended with my win, of course." Gray gloated and his family rolled their eyes at him.

"I don't really know how this next part came to be but she got kind of infatuated with me." Gray said wonderingly, he still hadn't figured this part out, and he didn't feel the need to do so anymore.

"She began stalking me and trying to win me over. I resisted because I had no interest in her but over the time she won me over and we started dating that eventually led up to us being engaged. That's pretty much it." Gray shrugged and Lucy looked at him, he had skipped allot.

"When did she meet Lyon?" Koshi asked and Gray thought about it.

"I think it was during the magic games? He became as crazy about her as she was with me and after we broke up they ended up together." Gray explained and Koshi nodded.

"No no, your dad's wrong, it was during the celebration party when we came back from the 7 year leap." Lucy corrected and Gray looked at her and thought about it.

"Yeah, that might be it." He said and Koshi looked in between them fast.

"That's it?" He eventually asked and both his parents watched him.

"Well that's about it, ain't it?" Gray answered and then drank some alcohol.

"Why did you break up?" Koshi asked despite himself and Gray flinched before he coughed.

"Well… She broke up with me with the explanation that our feelings weren't the same. She loved me far more than I loved her so she came to the conclusion that I didn't deserve her. She probably ended up with Lyon because he had the same amount of emotions for her that she had for me, they were in the same level with their love." Gray explained poorly making it impossible for Koshi to understand but Lucy however did.

"What he meant to say is that Juvia didn't feel as loved as she was loving him. While Lyon loved her just the same and she felt loved with him, when two people love each other equally it's so rewarding and beautiful. When someone loves you, you feel happy and flattered and honestly it's probably what drove her in Lyons arms instead of yours." Lucy said and Gray looked a little embarrassed.

"Well what was I supposed to do? I was in love with you so I wasn't able to love her with everything that I had." Gray defended and Lucy laughed before she kissed him and then she stood up.

"Let's go home, we have a long day tomorrow." Lucy said and took his arm.

"You coming?" She asked and held her hand out for her son but he declined so Lucy ported her and her husband home.

Koshi looked around looking for Lina and when he found her he pointed towards the doors, she understood quickly and flew outside the window while Koshi walked into the chilling night.

"Lina? Are you there?" He asked the air around him as he entered the forest where they met up.

"I'm here!" She screamed back at him and walked towards him happy to see him.

"How's it going?" He asked and she slowly shock her head.

"Nothing, I honestly don't think she's going to do anything wrong. She's just behaving normally." Lina explained and Koshi sighed before sat down. He was beginning to doubt himself and wondered if perhaps they both hadn't just jumped to the wrong conclusion after all.

"Alright, do you want to call of the stalking?" Koshi finally asked and Lina nodded excited about the idea of being able to sleep in a bed again.

"What should I do about the whole 'not having a presence and smell?'" Lina asked and Koshi shrugged.

"Just tell everyone that during the mission they hit you with a smoke bomb or something and no one will ask twice." Koshi said with his thumbs up and Lina nodded.

They parted and both went home for some needed sleep, Lina especially, the moment she walked through the doors she walked straight towards her bed and fell asleep in seconds.

Koshi on the other hand felt tired but couldn't fall asleep no matter what he did, he was over thinking about how he would meet Kristall tomorrow, officially. He was worried over what she might say and if she would hate him for withholding information.

He didn't know when he had fallen asleep but when his father came and pulled the blankets away it was already way past noon.

"How long are you planning on sleeping, get up moron. They'll be here in about 1 hour and a half." Gray said and walked out of the room with the blanket so that he wouldn't go back to sleep, lord knows how many times he had fallen for that trick. Koshi watched him go from one eye still tired but willed himself to wake up.

He dressed relatively quickly because he had already planned on what to wear so he joined his parents in the kitchen.

"What's for breakfast?" He asked with a yawn and both of them watched him.

"It's already past lunch, I'm making the dinner for when they arrive." Lucy said and returned to cooking, but she tossed him an apple that he caught and bit into to.

He wasn't nervous anymore, during the night when he had been tossing and turning and his thoughts had been flying all around he had come to an realization.

He was a magician.

That wasn't something he could nor want to change so if he was going to be hated for it… so be it. He was who he was.

He had that resolve right until the doorbell rang and then he became all nerves again, but he was great at poker faces thanks to his grandfather.

Lyon walked in without waiting for a response, they were expected and it was his little brothers house.

"How about waiting until you're invited?" Gray asked as he walked to his brother and Lyon smiled.

"I was under the impression that I am always welcome." Lyon said and hugged his brother that returned it. As they hugged each other Koshi watched the open door as the rest of the entourage walked in. He recognized Kristall that looked nervous and he wondered if she had been told about him.

Apparently not because the moment they locked eyes with each other hers widened and her mouth opened a little. He just smiled and waved at her a little before looking at who he assumed was the woman named Juvia. He wasn't really expecting anything but he could clearly see some of the features that Kristall inherited.

"Koshi! Look at you all grown up, how have you been? Is your magic advancing properly?" Lyon asked and Koshi grinned, he saw the shocked look that came to Kristall when magic had been brought up.

"Relatively well, haven't been able to use it for a while though." Koshi said honestly and Lyon looked at him and then his brother not understanding. Gray just sighed and nodded confirming it. Lucy just crossed her arms which was a clear sign that she didn't want to talk about that.

"Juvia… it's been awhile, I hope you've been well…" Lucy said feeling slightly awkward, she hadn't met the woman since the wedding, and before then her departure from the guild. They hadn't talked so much other than some polite greetings at both events.

"Juvia has been more than great, how about you Lucy?" Juvia asked, she didn't feel the awkwardness that Lucy felt at all.

"Great, I hope you like pot roast because it'll be done in a minute." Lucy said and then realized that introductions hadn't been made when she saw their three children looking around curiously.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Where are my manners…" Lucy asked nobody in particular but successfully got everyone's attention.

"This is Koshi Fullbuster our son." Lucy said and gestured towards Koshi who made a small bow and a nick with his head.

"He uses ice magic and is my only student." Lyon added proudly and Gray rolled his eyes.

"Also these two are his parents, my brother Gray and his wife Lucy, she comes from the Heartfilia family." Lyon added and both adults greeted them.

"Koshi, this is Juvia, my wife and she's a water magician." Lyon introduced and she approached her friends son before she grabbed his head quietly observing him. She then squealed before she hugged the boy.

"He looks just like you two, these blond curls are just like yours and he looks exactly like you Gray." Juvia squealed and Koshi looked at his parents not understanding the situation he was in.

"Anyway… these are our children. Talia, the eldest, she uses water magic. Kristall the middle child, she uses ice magic and finally Leith, another water magician." Lyon explained and they nodded when their names were said except Kristall that had a hard time swallowing it all. She didn't know if she wanted to scream out or laugh, but silence seemed to work at the moment.

Koshi took that moment to excuse himself to get the gifts and then handed the girls their jewelry with a grin.

"I know you'll like it." He said and it caused a raised eyebrow with Talia that glanced at the box and a full blown laughter from Kristall that already knew what the contents were, she had picked them after all.

"I didn't think you'd want jewelry so I got you a spell book." Koshi said and the boy smiled before he accepted the book a little excited.

"Thank you" Leith said and it made the elder siblings react and mimic their brother.

"Wow, these are beautiful." Talia said and held up the blue gemstones that highlighted her eyes and hair beautifully. She had inherited her mother's blue hair and eye color. In fact all three of them had blue eyes, just different shades. Leith was already reading the book, and all you could see was his white mop of hair moving back and forth as he read each page. He had inherited most of his looks from Lyon save for his eyes. Kristall was the only one that was a mix of them both.

The adults moved to the kitchen for some drinks and small talk while they moved to the living room to do the same.

"So you met yesterday?" Talia asked, the humor clear in her voice.

"Yeah." Koshi said and then took a sip of the drink that he had served everyone.

"And then she picked out the gifts?" She asked again not really wanting to let the subject go, what were the odds?

"Except for the book, yeah." Koshi answered and Talia laughed.

"Well no wonder you were so sure we would like them then." She said and Koshi grinned at that.

Kristall had a smile the whole time and Koshi was happy that at least she didn't hate him.

Gray walked in and informed them that the food was done so they walked into the dining room and sat down to enjoy the food and each other.

The subject had been repeated briefly and then they had talked about different subjects, life in general and experiences that had happened.

When the food had been finished they decided to take it to the guild to meet other friends and have a drink together. Koshi didn't mind but Leith had begged them to take him to a river or somewhere where he could practice the spells, Talia seemed to be mildly interested as well.

So they parted with their parents and headed to the outskirts of town where there were cleaner water.

"So I figure that with the sword hanging from your hip that you use it with your magic?" Koshi asked and Talia gripped the hilt of the blade out of habit.

"Yeah, water can be lethal if used properly. If there is enough force behind it then it can even cut metals." She explained proudly.

"But of course I don't just limit myself to the sword alone, I fight using spells as well, like any magician." Talia continued and Koshi nodded, they started a full blown conversation regarding spells and magic and Leith jumped in here and there but listened mostly trying to learn as much as he could. Kristall stayed quiet, she felt a little uncomfortable talking about a subject she had bashed in front of him the day before.

When the river was in sight Leith didn't hesitate and ran towards it stripping as he did before he jumped into the water.

"Yeah, he's definitively Lyons son…" Koshi mumbled as they picked up the discarded clothes on their way. Both girls laughed but didn't comment, they knew what he meant.

Talia joined him after a while and they tried out the spells in the book. This left Kristall and him sitting and watching.

"So… do you hate me now?" Koshi eventually asked, he didn't feel her hate but he was still paranoid and curious.

"No, I wouldn't hate you just because you didn't tell me who you were, I never told you who I was either." Kristall said and Koshi nodded.

"I meant that do you hate me for being a magician?" He clarified and she gave him a glance, he wouldn't look at her but he felt her staring.

"No, I'm a little bit surprised that you are a magician since you didn't use magic against those ruffians but that also means that you're different. You wouldn't use your magic against someone to prove who is better or just because you can." She explained and Koshi made a face that she didn't see, he was glad that she saw him like that but in reality he probably would've used his magic if he could have.

"Besides, I think you might have gotten the wrong impression. I don't hate magicians or magic for that matter, how could I when I'm surrounded by it? All of my family are magicians so it would be a little weird for me to hate them, it's more like frustration rather than hate." Kristall explained and Koshi nodded, he could understand that.

"Hey Koshi! How about a sparring match?" Talia screamed after a while and he laughed but declined.

"Ah, come on! How about Ice vs Water magicians?" Talia asked and it caused Koshi and Kristall to turn and look at each other since they were the Ice magicians.

"How about another day?" Koshi asked and stood up, if he was being honest then he really wanted to spar and even more so be in a team with Kristall but he couldn't.

"Alright, we're here for a week anyway." Talia said and returned to the water where her brother was.

"Want to go for a walk?" Koshi asked and held out his hand for Kristall that eagerly took it.

"We'll be back so don't leave!" Koshi screamed at his cousins that were in the water practicing. They waved before returning to their spells. Talia had a knowingly smile on her that Leith noticed but didn't comment.

"So how about getting some ice cream?" Koshi asked when they entered the town and she laughed.

"What is it with you and ice cream?" She asked between laughs.

"Other than the fact that we're Ice magicians and like cold things, ice cream goes hand in hand with a warm day." Koshi said expertly and she continued to laugh.

"Won't it melt by the time we get back?" She asked as an afterthought. He didn't even hesitate as he gave her a deadpanned look.

"I'm starting to doubt that you're even an Ice magician or not." Koshi mumbled and she rolled her eyes at him.

They walked towards the 'best' ice cream shop in town according to Koshi. They had such a great connection that there wasn't a time when they didn't smile or laugh.

Even after they had gotten the ice cream they never stopped laughing because just as predicted they had begun to melt on their way back and they were arguing over who was going to freeze them.

"I don't see why I should do it? It was your idea to even get the ice cream." Kristall said and licked her own ice cream momentarily ignoring the melting ones.

"Because they are your siblings." Koshi argued and she snorted at that.

"Besides, I want to see you use our magic." Koshi said and missed her blush as he licked his own ice cream.

She brought her hand up and he noticed so he guided the ice creams towards it. She froze them and he looked at her in admiration.

"What?" She asked when he wouldn't stop looking.

"Nothing, you're the first person other than dad and sensei that I've seen use ice magic. It just kind of makes me happy" he explained and returned to the ice cream oblivious about what kind of effect his words had on her.

"Koshi?" A voice asked and it caused the both of them to stop and turn.

"Lina, what are you doing here?" Koshi asked as she approached them curiously watching the girl that stood beside him blushing.

"I was looking for you…" Lina said and stopped, she didn't know why she had looked for him.

"Why? Did anything happen?" Koshi asked but Lina shook her head.

"Oh, alright. Listen, I'm kind of busy so I'll talk to you later, OK?" Koshi excused himself and then turned to Kristall that looked on expectantly not really knowing what was going to happen. Lina nodded and turned to go back to the guild carefully glancing at them as they disappeared from her vision.

"Who was that?" Kristall asked after Lina was out of sight.

"Oh, I should've introduced you, I totally forgot. That was Lina, a childhood friend. She's also Lu-Lu's real sister." Koshi explained and Kristall nodded.

"Are you going out?" She asked and Koshi looked shocked at the question.

"No, of course not. I love her like family." He said in a perfectly normal tone. Kristall felt like telling him that Lina probably didn't feel like that but realized that it wasn't her place to do so.

"Hey guys! We bought ice cream!" Koshi screamed towards the water magicians in the water. They looked up and Talia jumped out to get them.

"Why ice cream?" She asked as she took a cone.

"Just doing my duty in bringing something cold." Koshi explained and Talia giggled.

"Are you done for the day? I was thinking that we could go to the guild so that you could meet some people there?" Koshi asked and gave the remaining cone to Leith as he approached.

"I guess, we tried about half of them and they are surprisingly useful. We've reached the more harder ones that takes some time but we can try those another day." Talia said and Leith looked at his sister, he didn't really want to stop but he guessed that meeting some of his mother's old friends could be fun.

"Alright, dry up and put your clothes on and then lets go." Koshi ordered and then laughed as one of them strode into action while the older one gave a doubting look.

"Please?" He tried and then laughed quietly when Talia obeyed.

They both came back much sooner than expected and he gave them a glance trying to see if their hair was was still wet or not.

"What?" Talia eventually asked when he wouldn't stop looking.

"Nothing, just don't want you to become sick. Are you sure you're both dry?" He asked as they walked and all three siblings laughed at him.

"Water magician stupid, we can just use the magic to remove the water from our bodies, or we can absorb it into our bodies. Either way, we'll never be sick because of water." Talia said proudly and Koshi shrugged, it probably worked the same way as his, he would never be sick because of the cold.

When they entered the guild the siblings immediately located their parents and walked over to them naturally.

"Kids, come here and meet your mother's old guild friend Gajeel and his wife and son." Juvia said when she saw her children enter. They trotted over one by one and were met by curious eyes of a family they hadn't met before.

"Gajeel and I used to be in another guild before we both joined this one. This is his wife Levy and their son Kurogane." Juvia introduced.

"These are our children, Talia, Kristall and Leith." Juvia then introduced and each child made a gesture after their introducement.

They started a small conversation asking about how their mother was before and how they had gotten to know each other etc.

Koshi listened halfly but he had heard the story before and wasn't that interested in the conversation. He just enjoyed looking at them and their shocked or amused expressions as they listened to a part of their parents story that they hadn't been alive for.

"Koshi?" Lina asked as she approached him.

"Lina, what's up?" He asked and stood up.

"Um…" She didn't really have a reason to call out for him but she felt jealous. He always had a smile when he was close to her.

"Right, I should introduce you. I totally forgot last time." Koshi said suddenly and she nodded.

"Kristall, this is Lina, my childhood friend and Lu-lus sister. Lina, this is Kristall, my cousin." Koshi introduced and Lina couldn't help herself as she heard their relationship, she let out some excessive air and then shook the other girl's hand.

"Oh and this is Talia, the oldest of them and their younger brother Leith." Koshi continued and gestured towards the other children. Lina smiled towards them and they nodded but then returned to listening to old stories. They particularly enjoyed the part where they had learned that their mother had been a gloomy character that went around saying 'drip drop'.

Lina didn't feel included in the group so she distanced herself from them and watched from the side as the guy she had been in love with for the last years spent time with another woman. She felt horrible, terrible and above all paranoid but she couldn't help it.

As the night came around they began parting ways but promised to meet again the next day. Koshi went to bed that day thinking about his cousins.

He woke up with his youngest cousin staring at him in his sleep and he drowsily tried to look if it was just an illusion or if he really was there.

"Are you awake?" Leith whispered and watched the older boy turn around.

"No" Koshi answered way too tired to deal with whatever it was that he wanted.

"Breakfast is ready." Leith said and then left. Koshi turned back and glanced at the door through one eye before he got up all disheveled.

He joined them 10 minutes later with a yawn wondering why they were here so early.

"Slow at waking up?" Talia asked as he sat down and he gave her a glance.

"Depends on the day." He answered and took a strip of bacon.

"So what's the plan for the day?" He asked and interrupted the adults that were obviously in their own world talking.

"We're planning on leaving to go to Crocus and we'll be back tomorrow evening." Lucy said and Koshi smiled.

"Are you going with Auriga?" He asked innocently and then grinned when he saw the flinch his father and teacher made at the mention of the carriage. Lucy noticed as well but didn't say anything, she just smiled. Juvia looked at her husband not understanding.

"No, we'll probably go there with transportation." Lucy answered and both men visibly relaxed.

"Alright, have fun." He said and returned to the food. It wasn't unusual for his parents to travel across the globe whenever they felt like it so he was used to it.

The 3 siblings looked towards their parents waiting for something, but they were in their own world again.

"When are you planning on leaving?" Talia asked and her mother looked at her suspiciously.

"Right after breakfast. You better behave while we're gone." Juvia said and dared her daughter to defy her.

"I always behave." She said in mock offense and Juvia raised an eyebrow, her memories begged the differ.

No more words were said between the parents and children until breakfast was over and it was time to leave. They hoped they had a good trip and then they were gone in the blink of an eye like usually.

"Alright, let's have some fun!" Talia screamed the joy evident in her voice and the remaining people looked at her.

"Doing what exactly?" Kristall asked skeptically, she knew that tone well, it was her sister devious tone.

"Let's go on a mission while they are gone. Together. It'll be fun." Talia explained and Leith immediately perked up, he rarely went on missions but he loved to go.

"I don't know, won't we get into trouble, again?" Kristall said not really fond of the idea.

"Oh come, we'll do a real easy one. We have to be back by the night anyway." Talia said and Kristall gave a final unsure look.

"It'll be a perfect opportunity to spend time with Koshi" Talia pushed and Kristall laughed and then nodded.

"Wait, I'm going?" Koshi asked disbelievingly.

"Of course you are. You have to go and accept a mission we can do." Talia said as a matter of fact and he sighed. He couldn't go on missions, he didn't have magic for god's sake, but that wasn't something he wanted them to know.

"Alright, but we're taking a real easy one." Koshi bargained and the water magicians smiled and then ushered him to get properly dressed so that they could go. He did so quickly and a few minutes later they were standing in front of the missions board trying to decide what to take.

"I'm not doing a C-level mission with you, pick a D-level one." Koshi said and Talia frowned.

"Those are boring and for children, I already do B-levels at home so I think I can handle a C-level one." Talia argued and Koshi didn't have anything to say to that, he himself had done A-levels one.

"Fine, but take one that'll take the least time." Koshi said and Talia snorted before she snatched one of the board.

"Here this one seems easy enough." Talia said and handed it to Koshi that looked over.

Find hidden criminal in Hargeon Town. Reward 100.000 jewels.

"You sure? What skills do we possess that can actually locate a criminal?" Koshi asked when he read it.

"Don't worry about it, just accept it." Talia said and left to tell her siblings the news.

He slowly walked over to the bar wondering if Mira knew that his mom had sealed his magic or not. He couldn't remember, so this was a shot in the dark.

"Aunt Mira, I'm taking this mission." He said and placed the poster on the counter hoping that since he was faking confidence it would work. She picked it up and read it while he nervously waited. He saw Lina giving him a look that asked him a question but he just smiled at her before returning to watching Mira.

"Are you sure? This seems rather simple compared to your usual missions." Mira asked after she read it through.

"Yeah, I'm going with my cousins and we wanted a more easier one." Koshi explained and pointed his thumb towards the siblings by a table that were waiting for him. Mira and Lina followed and one smiled while the other frowned.

"Alright, they are from Lamia Scale right?" Mira asked and jotted down the answer so that she knew what information to give to the quest holder. She turned to accept the quest and Lina took the moment to grab Koshi.

"Do you or do you not have your magic back?" She whispered not really sure why.

"Don't worry, it's an easy mission." Koshi said and Lina realized he hadn't.

"Are you crazy? You can't accept a mission for magicians if you don't have your freaking magic" she whispered harshly and Koshi gulped.

"Need I remind you that I'm going with 3 people that can? Don't worry I'll be fine." Koshi said and then turned back to Mira that was coming back.

"Alright, you're good to go." Mira said and handed the flyer back that he took and thanked for. He turned to leave but Lina grabbed his arm and even shifted it into a beastmen in order to hold him.

"You. are. not. going." She said and left no room to argue. Normally he could just move his arm but with the muscles of a beastman he had no chance. Mira watched the exchange curiously wondering what was going on.

Kristall approached them hurriedly and grabbed the red haired arm and Lina turned to look at her.

"Let go of him please, we have to hurry." Kristall lied, she hadn't liked how the girl had treated him and wanted to help.

"Stay out of this, you don't know the situation." Lina said and shook her arm effectively getting the extra arm off while holding on to the one that mattered.

"I don't have to, I can't overlook somebody just using their magic on someone else because they can. Especially on someone that hasn't shown any hostility." Kristall said while growing slightly angry and without herself noticing she began glaring, Lina herself began glaring and Koshis head went back and forward not knowing what to do.

By now they had the attention of the guild and Koshi half hoped someone would jump in and stop whatever was happening in front of him, but all he was surrounded by was amused looks.

"I am not using it because I want to, he's stronger than me and would leave if I didn't." Lina said harshly not liking how Kristall had spoken.

"So you're restraining him because you don't want him to go on a mission? Are you his mother?" Kristall asked and Lina blushed from embarrassment.

"No but if his mother was here then she wouldn't have allowed him to go on a mission anyway." Lina said strongly, his mother of all people knew exactly why he couldn't go on missions. Koshi was about to intervene but Kristall acted before.

"Please let him go, he's old enough to make his own decision, don't you think?" She asked and yet again placed her hand on her arm hoping she would let go.

"Apparently not, listen I'm sure you 3 can go but he's staying here." Lina said and Kristall sighed.

"Alright, it seems that you've made your decision." She said and Lina nodded, it seemed that she was getting the picture now.

"Then I hope you won't blame me for mine." She said and both Fairy Tail magicians watched her not understanding until Lina yelped and yanked her hand away.

It had been covered in ice and she looked at it shocked, Koshi himself blinked not really sure what had just happened.

"The same as Koshi… You're an Ice magician...?" Lina said making it sound like a question although it was a statement.

"You sound surprised." Kristall said and Lina looked at her arm, the cold didn't hurt in any way but she had been surprised because of it.

"You're an Ice magician." She repeated and despite herself tears started forming, she didn't know why but she felt that she had lost a battle that she hadn't even signed up for.

"Fine, go and die idiot." Lina said angrily before she slammed her arm on the bar effectively breaking the ice surrounding it causing it to fly all over the bar and on the floor. She felt frustrated beyond words at the moment and the only way her feelings could cope was through anger.

Kristall and Koshi glanced at each other before Leith and Talia walked up, the latter with a Cheshire grin.

"Well if you're quite done with your lovers triangle drama… we have a mission to get to." She said and Koshi blushed while he screamed that wasn't what it was while Kristall blushed and looked the other way.

Koshi gave a glance towards the back of the guild where he had seen Lina disappeared to and wondered what had happened, sure he was doing something he wasn't supposed to but he had done that all his life so these kind of emotions from her weren't normal. This was something else. He wanted to go ask her what was wrong but as she was now then she wouldn't talk to him, she needed time to calm down and sort through her emotions before she could explain them to him and then maybe he could help her.

So he went on the mission and they sat on the train on their way to the port town. Talia and Leith seemed to have a great time as they discussed the best spell for the mission while Koshi sat in his own thoughts trying to figure out what had happened to his best friend. Kristall sat in her own as well wondering why she had used her magic on such a small matter despite always lecturing other people on it. She glanced at Koshi every now and then expecting a scolding but all she saw was him in his own thoughts thinking about Lina, no doubt. It frustrated her as well as annoyed her.

"Alright, stop moping you two. We're here. Look alive and be alert." Talia ordered and Koshi snapped out of it. He looked out the window and became surprised that they were actually there. Kristall nodded, she hadn't been as gone in her thoughts but she had still zoned out a few times.

"First, we're meeting with the contractor and then we'll decide what to do after." Koshi said and picked up the flyer where an address was written. He might have problems at home but he was if nothing else professional during missions. No one had any problem with that and before they knew it they stood at the knights guard wondering if they had gotten it right.

"Are you sure? Knights would be able to find a criminal on their own don't you think?" Talia asked as Koshi reread the paper for the fifth time.

"Yes I'm sure. Maybe there's some special circumstances behind it?" Koshi offered and Talia just knocked, she didn't know but they were about to find out. The door opened and a man looked at them waiting.

"We were the ones that accepted the mission." Koshi said and held up the flyer and the man looked at it and then them.

"Follow me." He said and started walking away leaving the door open. They were children and they didn't need help from children.

"Wait here." He ordered and walked away without any hesitation. They waited for a few minutes before a much younger man appeared with a smile.

"Welcome, I am Mason Ruah; captain over Hargeon. I hope the trip here was pleasant enough." He stopped and took some papers that were handed to him.

"We called you because we need your help in locating a smuggler that is hiding somewhere in town. He's a magician like yourself and we think he uses some form of wind magic." He explained and handed them a file of the information and a picture. Koshi handed it to Talia since she was the one that was going to find him.

"All you need to do is to locate him and then we'll do the rest." Mason said and waited for an acknowledgment.

"Are you sure? We can capture him as well." Talia asked after she had red through the files.

"Yes, we believe that the location of his hiding place might hold some answers to his illegal activities so we need to capture him there. However, if you wouldn't mind then we would more than welcome you during the arrest in case he resists." Mason explained and offered. Koshi looked over at his companions wondering what they wanted to do.

"We'll find him first and then if you need the assistance then feel free to ask." Talia said and he nodded before he left going to take care of other business. They left and started walking while the rest of them began reading the small information they had on the smuggler.

"I hope you really do have a way to locate him." Koshi said as they walked and Talia laughed.

"Actually it's thanks to you that we do." Talia said and Leith laughed.

"Well aren't I awesome then." Koshi said not understanding for a second.

"The book you gave had a locator spell in it but we need to move to higher ground." Talia explained and he began looking around for higher buildings or platforms that could be used. He pointed towards a platform a little bit outside of town that looked down on it and they nodded.

It was perfect as they looked down on the large town.

"Alright, let's do this Leith." Talia said and held out her hand for him to take. He did and they faced the town as a large magic circle appeared over the whole town. It was there only for a few seconds before it disappeared and large dark clouds reappeared.

"Do you know what they are doing?" Koshi whispered to Kristall but she whispered back 'no'.

It took a few seconds before it started raining and the ice magicians waited. They started to become wet but they didn't comment, they didn't want to interrupt anything. It wasn't until half an hour passed that Leith reacted.

"I think I found him." He said.

"Where?" Talia asked and half the rain started moving towards one part of the town.

"By the coast, orange building." Leith instructed as the rain moved.

Koshi realized that they were controlling the rain and moving it towards only one part. It was pouring cats and dogs over just one area while the rest of the town had a shining sun looking down on them.

"It's him." Talia confirmed and when she did the rain began disappearing until it was gone.

"Are you alright?" Koshi asked as they both sat down on the floor completely exhausted.

"That took more magic than I thought it would." Talia said honestly and Leith agreed.

"Need a few minutes?" Kristall asked and sat down knowing they did. Koshi followed her lead while they waited.

"Good job" Koshi complemented and they both gave him a glance while one of them thanked him and the other laughed.

"So how did the spell work?" Koshi asked after they had recovered enough.

"We can conjure rain normally without a problem but I didn't know that we could use it to locate people until I read it in the book. The only difference is that we put our eye sight into the rain which is why we had them closed. It was a weird feeling. Imagine that every drop of rain was an eye." Talia explained and Kristall sighed.

"You better not start spying on people because of this." She said and her older sister began laughing because that's exactly what she had planned on doing.

"Alright, let's go inform them where he is." Koshi said and stood up, he was still soaked but it was beginning to dry out.

"Remember, we're not helping them unless they ask." Talia ordered, she still felt annoyed at the attitude the guards had.

They were still pretty exhausted by the time they reached the knights so Koshi and Kristall took charge.

"I'm assuming the crazy downpour was your doing?" Mason asked the moment he saw them.

"Yeah, we found him." Koshi said as the man nodded.

"Where?"

"An orange building by the coast." Kristall said next and the man sighed while looking annoyed.

"There are over 50 of those, anything more specific?" He asked and Talia stepped forward, they were really having an attitude.

"If you can provide a map then we can point the building out." She said and Mason raised an eyebrow before he snapped his fingers and a few moments later they had a map of the coast in front of them. Talia didn't even hesitate as she picked a building and he looked at it.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." She said and Leith nodded behind her.

"Alright, we'll gather the troops. Wait outside and we'll leave in half an hour." Mason informed and stood up about to make preparations.

"Weren't we supposed to only locate him?" Talia spoke up before he left and kept a poker face although she was grinning on the inside. Mason turned around with an obvious annoyed look.

"I was under the impression that you wanted to catch him." He said and crossed his arms.

"No, not really. I only asked because it's unusual, you see usually we catch them as well. I just wanted to know the reason as to why you didn't want that service." Talia lied still keeping the poker face although her smile was beginning to emerge.

By now an obvious struggle was going on inside him, he didn't want to ask children for help. It was beneath him. However he couldn't risk lives because of pride.

"We'll give you another 60,000 J if you assist us on this mission." He instead compromised. If he offered money then they had no reason to refuse. Talia looked at the rest of them waiting for an answer but they didn't care.

"Alright, but we're only going because you need our help and besides we wouldn't want people to die because of another magician. It would bring shame to all of us." Talia said and Mason wisely held his tongue as he exited, the rest of his squad following him.

True to his words, half an hour later they were all standing outside listening to him instruct around 50 men about the mission.

"We do have a few magicians here to help us if needed today but they are a last resort only." Mason finished and gestured to the four of them that were standing in the back waiting for him to finish up. The soldiers turned for a few seconds to look but then ignored them as they began walking towards the harbor.

Koshi observed the soldier as they walked, he was trying to see an anomaly somewhere or something that would give him information, but they all sported serious and determined faces. If there was a traitor among them then he was doing a good job in hiding.

When the building was in sight the soldiers began splitting up in order to surround the building and they were told to stand back. Leith seemed anxious and wanted to jump in and Koshi grinned at the eagerness because if that wasn't foolish youth then he didn't know what.

"Alright! 1st and 2nd squadron enter now!" Mason ordered and 2 dozen men stormed the building. The sounds of a battle could be heard and all the men readied themselves for any outcome.

It wasn't until it became quiet that the nervosity in the soldiers settled in and Koshi looked up towards the window. If he was a wind magician then he might not use the orthodox way to get out.

Just as he predicted a minute later the glass broke and a man came flying out, he looked down toward them and grinned before he flew off to another building and tried to get away.

"Start the pursuit!" Mason screamed and the soldiers strode into action. He gave them a glance that told them they were needed and then disappeared to hunt down the criminal as well.

"Lets go!" Talia screamed and began running with Leith following immediately. Koshi began running as well and Kristall sighed before she followed.

They weren't magicians that could track a criminal but they didn't have to. All they did was follow the trail of screams and eventually they had visual of him.

"Now what?" Kristall asked when they had gathered and were looking up towards him as he stood on the roof and glared at his surroundings. The soldiers had also followed the screams and had surrounded the building. It didn't matter where the criminal ran, there would be someone ready to run after him immediately.

"Think you guys can make that water prison thing your mom can create?" Koshi asked and Talia nodded, Leith shock his head a little, that wasn't something he could make yet.

"Alright, I'll distract him and then you trap him." Koshi instructed and Talia nodded. Kristall looked a little worried but she was determined.

"Give up! There's nowhere left for you to go!" Koshi screamed as he stepped out from the crowd and was in plain view.

"There's always a way out." The man answered before he flicked his wrists and razor sharp gusts of wind attacked places in the vicinity. He kept stacking but he never hit the people, this was just a distraction maneuver.

"Even if you struggle, you're still going to get caught!" Koshi screamed in between the wind he was firing.

"Nothing is decided! Although, it would make it a lot easier for me if you disappeared." He screamed back and then jumped of the building while at the same time launching several attacks that hit people this time. Their screams distracted the soldiers and he disappeared into the crowd.

Koshi was used to tactics like these so he didn't lose him at all and began following him with Talia running after. They ran after each other for a while before the smuggler realized he was being followed and began casting his magic against them.

He had successfully dodged everything that was thrown at him despite not being able to use magic, which was a feat in itself.

It wasn't until a small girl, about the same age as Lulu, stepped in the way and his body reacted before he could think. He engulfed her in a hug in order to save her. The act had gotten him a large cut on his back and he screamed when he received it.

His scream had made the smuggler stop for a brief second and Talia used that moment to capture him in a water lock. It wasn't until she was absolutely sure that he was captured that she turned to see the damage on Koshi, and winced when she saw it.

"Koshi!" Kristall screamed his name when she saw his bloodied form, she could see the gush of the wound and it looked horrid.

"You need to freeze it." Koshi barely got out because the pain was getting to him.

"What?" Kristall asked and Leith looked between the wound and his eldest sister not knowing how to help.

"I'm losing blood and you need to stop it or I could die from blood loss. You need to freeze it." Koshi elaborated and slumped in her arms losing strength.

"He's right. If his wound is frozen then it'll buy him some time until we get to a hospital." Talia said.

"Koshi, I don't know how deep the wound is. You freeze it." Kristall ordered as she tried to keep his body from hitting the ground.

"I can't." He said between gritted teeth. He really wanted to scream because of the pain.

"Yes you can. You need to hurry up before you lose conscience." Kristall ordered and slapped him a little to stop him from falling asleep.

"No, I can't use magic." He said and then everything went black.

"Can't use magic?" Kristall asked not sure if she had heard it right.

"Koshi?" She had felt when all his weight had fallen on her and saw him sleeping.

"Kristall, freeze the wound." Talia ordered and Kristall nodded before she carefully froze it trying to get as much of the wound as she could.

"Leith, do you think you can create a water bed and carry him to the hospital?" Talia asked her brother and he nodded. She would've done it herself but she already had a person in her water lock.

He nodded and used his magic to lift their cousin and then both of them were off to a hospital by asking people close by as they ran.

Talia began running towards the knights building and she didn't hesitate as she ran inside and found Mason. She had figured that they weren't pursuing him anymore when they had taken over.

"Here is your smuggler. Now give me the Jewels." She ordered. Hospital bills weren't exactly cheap and they didn't have that much money with them.

Mason looked annoyed but gave her the money and was about to say something but the moment she had gotten paid she was out of the door.

It had taken her more time than she would've liked to reach the main hospital and then she ran to the emergency room and found her siblings there looking worried.

"Anything?" She asked and Kristall shook her head.

"He's in the operation room." Leith explained and Talia sat down. She couldn't do anything else but sit down and wait.

After an hour a doctor came out and they stood up waiting for the verdict.

"He's alright. He's lost a lot of blood but the blow didn't damage anything internally so all we had to do was close the wound. He should be awake within the hour." He explained and then left to continue work.

They walked into the room where he was sleeping and waited. He began stirring half an hour later and they waited patiently until he was fully awake.

"How are you feeling?" Kristall asked and stepped into his line of sight.

"Fine. Could've been better but considering the circumstances, I shouldn't complain." He said and sat up feeling it as his back complained.

"Did you finish the mission?" He asked and looked towards Talia that nodded.

"Yeah, I turned him in and got paid but never mind that." Talia said and waved at him.

"Alright, let's go home then." He said and stood up, he didn't really have that much strength but at least he could manage walking.

"Oh no you're not. Get back in bed." Kristall ordered and stopped him.

"I'm fine. We need to be back by nightfall right?" Koshi argued and Kristall couldn't disagree with that so she turned towards her sister for help.

"Don't push yourself. If you need to rest then rest. We'd rather get into trouble than forcing you to do something you can't." Talia said and Koshi laughed.

"Thank you for the worry but I'm fine." Koshi said and looked for his clothes. He picked up his shirt and threw it in the trash can, it had a huge hole and couldn't be used anymore.

"We might need to stop by a store and get a shirt." Koshi said and scratched his head. Everything he did hurt his back but he needed to get back. Porlyuscia could help him far better than any doctor here.

"Fine, but if you feel worse than we're stopping." Talia said and he nodded.

He walked out with Kristalls help and the doctors outside immediately sprung into action and tried to get him back to bed, he was apparently not fit to be out of bed yet.

"You've lost a tremendous amount of blood and we just stitched you up, you can't be up and walking already. Your stitches might open up. We need you to stay for at least 3 days." A doctor said loudly and a few more added some things that he didn't listen to.

"I'll be fine. I'm just going home." He said and held up his hand trying to bulldoze his way through them all. They kept screaming things at him but he didn't listen.

"You should really stay." Kristall said as she walked with him trying to see any discomfort.

"I know it's a big wound but we're magicians. It's part of the job description and besides, I've had large wounds on me before and still continued to fight in the battlefield." Koshi said with a smile towards her trying to get her to smile back at him. She didn't.

"There we go. I paid the hospital bill and a train is leaving for home in an hour." Talia said as she walked out of the hospital with Leith who was holding a shopping bag.

He ran up to Koshi and handed him the bag.

"I didn't know what size you wear so I just picked a large one." He explained and Koshi took out the black shirt and thanked him. He was about to put it on when he realized that he couldn't put his hands straight up. Kristall noticed and took the shirt from him and helped him put it on.

"Thank you." He said honestly and Kristall nodded.

They walked slowly to the train station adapting to his speed and then took the train home. Koshi sat rigidly and tried not to lean back, he thanked himself for making sure the mission was in a town close by so the ride wasn't that long.

He started walking straight towards Porlyuscia while explaining to them who she was and how she behaved.

"Why are you here boy? You gave me your word that you wouldn't bother me if I gave you that potion." Porlyuscia said with a broom in one hand ready to shoo them off when given the opportunity came.

"I said unless there was an emergency." Koshi corrected with a strained smile, the pain was really beginning to affect him more and more.

"I don't see the emergency." She scoffed and brushed of a kid she didn't recognize.

"He has a wound on his back that needs treating and he said that you were the best." Talia said and Porlyuscia stopped waving the broom.

"Wound?" She stopped and sighed, she had thought it was weird that he was hunching but had thought it had been because of his stomach.

"Get inside. But don't touch anything!" She ordered and Koshi walked straight to the bed and laid down on his stomach.

She didn't hesitate and cut up the shirt and then sighed when she saw the wound.

"What happened?" She asked the trio standing awkwardly in the middle of the room trying not to touch anything.

"He got hit by an attack while trying to save a child." Kristall explained and Porlyuscia looked at the boy, it was unusual. She began mixing a concoction and then smeared it onto his back, the ones that had sewed him up had done a great job and all she had to do was remove the pain and induce faster healing and he would be good to go.

Koshi let out an enjoying sound when the pain began fading and the back began cooling.

"I love you Porlyuscia." Koshi said and she made an annoyed face but said nothing.

"Is the reason for your wound the lack of magic?" She asked instead and Koshi flinched and the trio reacted.

"Kinda." He said and Porlyuscia nodded before she began mixing more of the potion so that he could take some home.

"What does that mean?" Talia asked sternly and Koshi glanced towards them.

"It's nothing, don't worry about it." He said and tried to fake sleep.

"Oh but it does. You said that you couldn't use magic right before you passed out. That doesn't make sense, we know you can use it. Dad talked about you during our childhood, so once again. What does it mean?" Talia said slowly putting emphasis on words that made her seem cold and Koshi grimaced.

"It's not that I can't use it at all. I just can't use it right now." He explained and flinched with the scream that followed.

"AND YOU WENT ON A FREAKING MISSION MEANT FOR MAGICIANS!? Kristall screamed and he laughed sheepishly.

"You seemed eager to go and-"

"But that's not a reason to accept, you should've refused like a normal person with common sense!" Kristall screamed before he could finish.

"Well we weren't supposed to catch him so I figured-"

"It doesn't matter what you figured, you shouldn't have accepted." Kristall said and Talia flinched because she had accepted the continuation of the mission.

"It's fine. What happened happened." Koshi said and stood up, he noticed Porlyuscias look and knew that it was time to leave.

Porlyuscia handed him the jar and then shooed them all out threatening them to not come back again.

They walked back in a strained silence, well the siblings did. Koshi couldn't care less, it wasn't the first wound he had received during a mission and it wouldn't be the last. He had gotten it because of his own choices so it was his own fault not theirs.

The siblings had been at the house carefully observing Koshi and walking around eggshells trying to see if the situation changed. Koshi noticed but didn't comment, they felt guilt and he understood that.

They had begun relaxing a little thanks to him constantly trying to tell them that it wasn't their fault and they were beginning to believe him.

"PORLYUSCIA JUST TOLD US WHAT HAPPENED! I KNEW, KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN! THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T WANT TO YOU GO BUT NO, YOU JUST HAD TO." Lina screamed the moment she walked in through the door and Koshi flinched.

"It's not like this is the first time I've been hurt during a mission. Stop exaggerating." Koshi defended and Lina felt like punching him because of his nonchalant attitude but held back. He had a large wound on him after all.

"No, but this was the first time you've been close to death because you couldn't defend yourself properly. You wouldn't even had been in that situation if you've just used reason or listened to me." Lina lowered her voice but she was still angry.

"Your point? You're only screaming to vent out your frustration but it won't change anything Lina. The wound on my back will still be there no matter what you say. You want to be right and that's why you're here, I recognize this childish behavior. This is your immature way to say 'I was right and you should've listened'. Only you're trying to mask it by using the accident as your fuel and trying to make us feel guilty for not listening. Grow up." Koshi said growing annoyed himself, he had just gotten his cousins to get over their guilt only for his friend to ruin it all.

Lina looked shocked and Koshi knew he had hit home with his observation. The painful dagger that was stabbing her heart was proof. He was right, she was there to show his cousins that she had been right about the whole situation and that they should've listened. She just didn't know that he knew that. She wanted to show her superiority and knowing that he knew that caused her to turn red from embarrassment and anger for being caught. She wasn't usually like this but her jealousy clouded her decisions.

"This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't stopped me." Lina said as she looked Kristall straight in the eye and then left the building feeling worse as she left. She had tried to show one final superiority over him and she knew she had affected Kristall. What made her feel ashamed was that she was proud over it.

"Oh grow up! Why is it alright for me to get hurt on missions that I go on with you but not with others!" Koshi screamed after her while he followed her through the door, now fully angry because she had tried to cause guilt. He saw Lina stop and began cry before she turned and glared at him. The answer was simple, because it was her.

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!" Lina screamed with tears of frustration on her cheeks. This wasn't how she had planned on confessing. Koshi just raised an eyebrow, her point? He loved her too but he didn't act as irrational as she did.

Before Koshi could answer he noticed their parents walking towards them. His mother looked a little worried but his father and teacher had grins and he could only wonder why. He noticed uncle Natsu and aunt Lisanna walking with them and realized that they had gotten back early probably because they had heard about his accident.

He turned back to Lina because she was still waiting for an response and he sighed.

"Listen I love you too but that doesn't mean you can jus-" Koshi began but got interrupted. By now his cousins had gathered and listened in.

"No that's different, I'm in love with you." Lina said as she realized that he hadn't understood what she had meant. This time however he did because he looked at her shocked and then he put his hand over his face to try and hide the blush.

"What? Since when…" he asked himself trying to think.

"Ever since we were children idiot!" Lina screamed back, she had heard but only because she had enhanced her hearing.

"Are you sure-"

"You're asking me if I'm sure that I'm in love with you? Why wouldn't I be sure of that?" Lina asked him annoyed that he doubted her.

"Maybe you're just confusing it?" Koshi suggested and she shook her head.

"With what?" She asked and he looked towards his parents for help, they both held up their hands to show that this was his problem.

"Family love? Sibling Love? I don't know." Koshi said and Lina looked away for a second before she looked back up towards him.

"I do have a sister, I know the difference between family love and to be in love with someone. Besides, I've never considered you to be my brother." She said honestly and he felt how his heart clenched.

"Ouch." He said but she didn't budge. He felt heartbroken at that, because he honestly believed her to be a sister to him.

"I've always considered you to be my sister. It didn't even occur to me that you didn't feel the same." Koshi said and put his hand through his hair trying to think this situation through.

"That's it? That's the only explanation I'm going to get?" Lina said and she began crying, this time of sadness.

"I don't know what you want me to say? You're like a sister to me and always have been, how would you feel if Lulu walked up to you and proclaimed that she was in love with you? So no, if you want me to tell you that I'm in love with you then I'm going to have to disappoint." Koshi said and her expression hardened.

"I've never thought about you like that, and I can't just change how I feel because you want me to" Koshi continued to explain and Lina sighed feeling betrayed.

"After everything we've been through, after everything I've done for you. All the pranks, and all the trouble we've been through. I even freaking stalked your mother because you asked me to!" Lina screamed and Koshis eyes widened before he looked towards his mother that looked curious wondering when this had happened.

"That's what family does! Family goes through hardship and easy times. I thought that was it! I didn't think you lived your life with an agenda." Koshi screamed, he was beginning to grow frustrated because she was forcing her feelings on him and he couldn't accept them.

"Lina, sweetie. How about we take a break and you can calm down? Continuing to scream won't help anything." Lisanna eventually said with pity as she approached her daughter. Natsu was fuming because his daughter was sad and wanted to make the stupid kid realize that she was the best thing that could ever happen to him, but he couldn't force anyone to like someone.

"No! We're solving this!" Lina screamed and Lisanna sighed.

"What is there to solve? I love you but I'm not in love with you." Koshi said and Lina felt a stab in her heart when he said that, again.

Lisanna looked at her daughter feeling her heartache but not knowing what she could do for her so she looked towards her husband that was doing his best to stay calm, he saw his wife's look and wanted to help but even he didn't know what to do so he looked towards Lucy hoping for her to save the situation. She had always been the diplomatic one, he just punched stuff.

Lucy noticed and sighed before she looked at Gray that shrugged, he didn't know what to do either. Parents weren't supposed to be present at their children's confessing moments.

"When you say that you 'stalked' me, when was it? And why?" Lucy finally said and stepped forward towards them. She knew that they had reached a standpoint so she switched the topic, it would at least give them some time to calm down if nothing else.

Instead of an immediate answer that she had expected they both glanced at each other not knowing how to answer. Eventually though Koshi just sighed, this wasn't exactly how he had planned on doing this but why not.

"Because we saw you cheating on dad and we wanted to catch you do it again." He said with a shrug.

"Excuse me?" Lucy said not believing her ears. Gray looked towards her wondering what they were talking about and the rest of the adults looked mildly baffled.

"Last week, we saw you exit a house with a man while getting dressed and fixing your clothes." Koshi explained further and realization dawned on Lucy.

"Oh, that. Didn't think anyone saw me." She said and sighed.

"You cheated on me?" Gray asked disbelievingly, feeling a little betrayed.

"What? Of course not. That man was a doctor." Lucy quickly explained with a small laugh.

"A doctor? Are you sick?" Gray asked immediately instead and grabbed her while trying to see if anything was out of the ordinary. The second of betrayal he felt was gone as fast as it had appeared.

"No I'm fine, I promise. I just wanted to make sure before I told anyone." Lucy explained and smiled at his look of confusion, this time she would be able to do it right.

"Sweetie, I'm pregnant." Lucy explained and laughed because her husband had gone into shock. She snapped her fingers in front of him but he still didn't come out of it so she shrugged.

"Why can't I smell it on you?" Natsu asked and Lucy gave him a knowing look.

"Because I didn't want you too. I wasn't sure, but if I was, I didn't want you to tell the whole town before me." Lucy explained and Natsu grinned because that sounded like something he would've done.

"Congratulations, a child is nothing but a blessing." Juvia said and approached the blond that smiled. Lyon congratulated as well and then punched his brother hard enough to get him out of the shock.

Gray immediately picked Lucy up and swirled her around he was happy beyond words. He let her down and then hugged her not wanting to let go.

"You better not leave this time." Gray joked and Lucy laughed before she nodded in his arms.

Koshi looked on towards his parents play of affection and made a face. It didn't matter how much older he got but it always looked weird to see them act like teenagers. He sighed and looked towards the sky to try and collect his thoughts. His mom was pregnant which meant that he would get a sibling at his age. He always wanted one when he grew up, but he hadn't thought about it during the last couple of years. At least his mom wasn't cheating, knowing that made him relax and a weight lifted off inside him.

However another one took its place as he thought about Lina. He honestly hadn't known that she had thought about him like that. He had assumed that she had felt what he had felt for her, family love. That obviously wasn't the case and he didn't know what to do. He didn't want to lose her as a friend but he couldn't pretend to have feelings he didn't have just to make her happy. He looked around trying to find her but she was nowhere to be found.

"She left after your mother told the news." Kristall said as she approached him. He nodded and sighed before he began walking towards his parents to congratulate and ask some questions while he left Kristall there with some complicated emotions.

When the confession had taken place her heart had stopped and she was scared, scared that he would feel the same and that they would become a couple. The moment he rejected her her own heart fluttered with happiness and she knew then and there that she liked him. She didn't know why, and how she could even like someone that fast but she did. She watched him as he talked with his parents and joked with them and sighed before looking away.

"You like him, right?" Talia asked as she approached her cute younger sister that immediately blushed and told her to shut up.

"I'm taking that as an yes." Talia said with smile and Kristall sighed.

"I wouldn't call it like. It's more of an attraction and curiosity." Kristall corrected and Talia nodded.

"Stronger relationships have started out with less than that. Mom ignored dad and pushed him away during the first months of knowing each other." Talia said and watched Koshi as well. She cringed when she saw his back and sighed, that was probably going to haunt her for the rest of her life.

They had entered the house while the Dragneels had went to find their daughter. The Bastias followed the Fullbusters. Lucy had immediately observed her son and he stared back unaffected.

"Show us." Lucy eventually said and Koshi faked ignorance.

"What do you want to see?" He asked and Lucy deadpanned.

"You know damn well what." She answered and Koshi faked a surprised look.

"Mother, it is not becoming of a lady to curse." He said and she rolled her eyes before she snapped her fingers and he dropped to the floor with his stomach down.

"Really? Not only my magic but my strength too?" He asked out loud and heard his father and teacher try to stifle their laughs.

"Well, if you had just listened from the beginning then I wouldn't have to do this." Lucy answered and took off his shirt so that she could see where the bandage was. She saw the size of it and knew that it wasn't going to be good. She carefully removed it while making sure not to hurt him and then exhaled slowly because it looked horrible.

"I hope you're happy." Lucy said and whacked him on his head.

"Well I would be if I had my magic and strength back." Koshi answered and Lucy chuckled darkly. Koshi gulped, immediately regretting his words. Gray looked carefully at his wife, he knew that laugh, that was the laugh she made when someone was in deep, deep trouble.

"You know, usually someone without magic doesn't go on a magician's mission." She said and Koshi stayed silent.

"So what possessed you to go?" She asked and awaited the answer. Koshi considered the options right now, if he answered then she might accept it or she might get angrier by the answer. Staying silent however wasn't an option.

"Because I'm a magician." He answered honestly and vaguely.

"Not right now. You don't see the neighbor run on missions for magicians now do you?" Lucy asked and sat down on the floor by the side of her son.

"No, you don't." Koshi agreed and then said nothing more. If he was honest then the reason why he had went on the mission was still a little unclear to him.

"I get it." Koshi said instead with a huff and Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"I get what you wanted to teach me. The magician that hurt me, he was firing his magic wildly around him with no regard for the people just living their life. They had to stop because of him and innocent lives were affected. If the wound that is on my back hadn't been there then it would've meant the death of an innocent girl. So I get it." Koshi explained and then waited for an answer. A few minutes passed by and when he got bored of waiting he looked up the best he could and saw his dad watching his mother that looked annoyed.

Eventually though she sighed and looked away for a second and Koshi felt his strength and magic return simultaneously, he hadn't been prepared for the magic so he had accidentally released it and the floor received an ice coating.

"I wish you had learned that in a way that didn't involve risking your life." Lucy said and watched the ice-floor before she turned to her son that had stood up and was stretching.

"Oh come on mom, I'm a Fullbuster. We either go big or we go home." Koshi said and Gray began laughing, while Lucy sighed.

"Believe me, I know." She muttered and stood up leaving for the kitchen.

"Get rid of the ice!" She screamed and Koshi chuckled before he flexed his fingers a little and then removed it.

"So the reason you didn't have magic was because your mother took it?" Talia asked as she approached him and Koshi looked at them, he had forgotten they had been there.

"Trust me, it's a long story." Koshi answered.

"Well now that you have it back how about an demonstration? Let's see how my student has been progressing in his studies." Lyon said and put his arm around him.

"How about that duel? Ice vs water?" Koshi asked and Leith looked excited while Talia glared.

"No, I don't duel with people that have just returned from the dead. You literally got hurt today. After it's healed then sure." She answered and Kristall voiced her agreement.

"Fine, then how about next month?" Koshi asked and they looked at him considering it.

"If it's healed." Talia bargained and he nodded, Porlyuscias potions worked amazingly and he would definitively be healed within that time.

"Speaking of heal, I need to put on some more of that potion because somebody ripped it off." Koshi said and then looked towards his mother that was ignoring him and his comment.

"I'll help you." Kristall said and reached for the jar they had received while Koshi was about to argue. He didn't really want her to, it was embarrassing. Talia noticed and pushed him down on the couch before he could say anything.

Kristall took a handful and carefully started coating the wound. She didn't want to cause any pain but she could feel him shudder under her touch and wondered if it hurt that much.

Koshi felt her fingers and his muscles flexed because of them, he tried not to but it was difficult. It wasn't until the bandage was on that he stood up and thanked her.

"It's fine, I'm at fault for you having that wound so I might as well help take care of it." She answered guiltily and Koshi face palmed. He muttered something before he sighed and then grabbed her hand walking outside with her.

"Where are we going?" She asked not at all bothered by him holding her hand, although it did cause a small blush.

"Somewhere where we can talk in private." He answered, he was completely oblivious about them holding hands. It wasn't until the reached the outskirts of town that he realized he was holding her hand and then let go.

"What did you want to talk about?" She asked after he had let go and he watched her.

"You. Why do you insist on taking blame for my own mistakes?" He asked and she sighed.

"Because they are indirectly my fault, if I hadn't stopped Lina from stopping you then you never would've left and you wouldn't have had that scar on your back." Kristall explained and Koshi groaned, Lina's words had taken effect after all.

"It isn't your fault, it isn't anyone's fault but my own. What if Lina hadn't even been there? I still would've left, it isn't your fault. You didn't know." Koshi said hoping she would understand while grabbing her shoulders.

"But if I had known then I could've protected you or I could've-"

"You could've what? Taken the hit? I still would've been there and I still would've jumped in front of the girl to save her life. I'm glad I did, a wound on my back is well worth it if it means that a child is going to live." Koshi said and she saw reason in those words so she nodded before she smiled.

They began talking about other things on their way home and enjoyed each other's company, like they always did.

"What are you going to do about Lina?" Kristall asked finally after they had reached that topic. He had asked for her advice and she had given it the best she could, it was a little hard to do when she didn't want them together.

"Honestly? Nothing, there is nothing I can do." Koshi answered somewhat sadly, he really didn't want them to stop being friends because of this.

"I'm sure everything's going to be fine in the end, she just need some time." Kristall said with a smile and he smiled back. She has smiled because she had been happy that he wouldn't pursue Lina and he had smiled because she had.

When they had returned the amount of teasing from Talia never stopped and Leith had even joined in because of lack of things to do.

"Congratulations on getting your magic back." Loke said the moment he appeared in the living room startling those that weren't used to his sporadic visits.

"Thank you, what do you want?" Koshi asked as he watched his third parent. The man had raised him as much as his parents had.

"What an attitude towards your new teacher." Loke feigned disappointment while Koshi looked curious.

"Teacher in what?" He asked while the rest of the occupants looked on entertained by the interaction.

"Well a little birdie informed me that you had problems with matters regarding love. Who better to teach you how to woo a woman than me?" Loke said smugly and Koshi glared.

"A. I'm not learning that from you, thank you very much. B. I don't have a problem, in fact it's the other way around. C. Go home." Koshi counted off and Loke grinned, he hadn't been talking about Lina when he had meant that the boy had problems with wooing. He glanced discreetly towards the young woman that his boy fancied but was too dumb to realize and nodded. She was beautiful.

"Besides who told you about Lina?" Koshi asked stopping Lokes thoughts and he gave a Cheshire grin.

"A birdie." Loke answered, he wasn't about to sell out his informant.

"You saw it through mom didn't you?" Koshi accused and Loke put his hand over his heart.

"I would never spy through my princess." He lied and both Lucy and Koshi deadpanned at that. He had done it before.

"Alright fine, I might've seen the exchange between you two but I always knew she liked you so it wasn't that much of a shock. The shock was realizing who you liked." Loke said and then nodded, those words had made the young girl show an devastated expression while Koshi made an confused one. Maybe he didn't need to teach the dumb boy how to woo her over but he did need to teach him about how to take the first step and more importantly about his own feelings.

"You knew Lina liked me?" Koshi asked instead completely ignoring the other part.

"Of course I did. Everyone knew, you could see it miles ahead." Loke said and waved him and his question off. Koshi had his mouth open in shock from that, was he the only one dumb enough not to realize it. He looked towards his parent for confirmation and they both shrugged and nodded.

"Oh, come on. And nobody thought to tell me?" Koshi asked anyone that might answer.

"Wasn't our place to tell." Gray answered simply and Koshi groaned. That was true, but still. He wondered what else he had missed but didn't voice it.

"Anyway, congratulations on the baby Lucy. This time you told him." Loke said and sat down with a laugh. Gray gave a small laugh while Lucy rolled her eyes.

After that there weren't much drama between the families. The week passed peacefully and then the Bastias were returning home with the promise that they should meet up more frequently.

* * *

**1 month later**

Koshis wound had healed beautifully and now what remained was a pink scar that would eventually fade over time.

"And I better not see any more wound on you." Lucy said as she removed the last of the potion and nodded to herself that the wound had healed better than she had expected. Porlyuscia really knew what she was doing.

"You know I can't promise that, I mean technically I could and I would mean it but the wounds that are inflicted come from somebody else so they have to make the promise not me." Koshi said wisely and Lucy hit her son, she knew that.

"Fine, what I want from you then is the promise that you won't throw yourself into dangerous situations." Lucy bargained and Koshi did promise that.

"By the way… How's Lina?" Lucy asked carefully while she wiped her hands of the foreign goo. Koshi gave a glance towards his mother and then looked away.

"Don't know. Rather I should be asking you that." Koshi answered and Lucy sighed.

"Lisanna tells me that she's depressed. She's stopped eating and hardly has motivation for anything." Lucy answered honestly and Koshi made a somewhat devastated face before looking up at the ceiling.

"Not eating?" He carefully asked a little afraid of the answer.

"Don't worry, it's not as if she isn't eating at all, she just eats less than she used to." Lucy quickly explained, she had also become alarmed when Lisanna had told her that. She had explained it after Lucy had asked her to elaborate.

Koshi nodded but it didn't make him feel better about it, just worse. He had tried to meet up and talk to her a few times but she didn't want to.

"You should go talk to her." Lucy said and disrupted her boys thoughts.

"Tried to, she didn't even want to see me." Koshi said and Lucy nodded, she knew the feeling.

"I know, but you have to be a little persistent or nothing is going to change. It isn't unusual for younger people to ignore a problem and hope it goes away. I tried to and ran away and if your father hadn't found me and forced me to face the situation then nothing would've changed." Lucy said with a sigh.

"Can't you just send me to the world you went to? I'll be gone for a while and then when I come back a few years would've passed." Koshi suggested not serious at all. Lucy however took it seriously and slammed her hands on the kitchen counter.

"Do not even joke about that." Lucy whispered angry and Koshi glanced towards his mother.

"Is it so bad there?" He asked suddenly feeling pity for his mom.

"No, the world in say wasn't bad. It was being without your loved ones that was horrid." Lucy explained and Koshi carefully considered his next words.

"What did you do when you couldn't cope without us anymore?" Koshi formulated the question the best he could.

"I… I didn't cope at first. I wanted to end it. I… tried to." Lucy began and Koshi immediately stood up shocked by this. This was the first she had talked about the other world but he hadn't thought that it would be something as dark as this.

"But he wouldn't let me, he told me that if he had to suffer then so did I." Lucy continued and forgot that her son was listening.

"I accepted it after he had stopped me and before I knew it we found solitude within each other. We kept each other alive and pushed each other forward." Lucy stopped and shook her head trying to rid herself of those memories. She had tried for years but they kept lurking in the back of her mind somewhere.

"Who are you talking about?" Koshi asked although he already knew the answer.

"Zeref, right?" Gray asked and walked into the house. He had gotten home earlier but when she had begun talking about the other world he had stopped himself from announcing his arrival. She never talked about it no matter how much he probed. Lucy looked towards her husband with a melancholy expression.

"Yes." She confirmed simply and then looked away continuing with the dinner. Gray continued to look at his wife while multiple scenarios played out in his mind.

"Did you sleep with him?" He eventually asked and Koshi looked towards his father and then mother. He didn't really want to be there for the answer, nor the question for that matter.

"Gray…" Lucy said sadly and before she could continue he interrupted her.

"Don't. Just don't. Answer honestly Lucy." Gray demanded and she sighed.

"Of course not, I would never do that." She answered and then bit her lip trying to keep herself from continuing.

"But?" Gray continued to probe. He was glad that she hadn't but she was still hiding something.

"But you have to understand that living there without you both was torture. So we comforted each other and had a spiritual connection to each other." Lucy explained and Gray furrowed his brows not understanding.

"So he became your friend?" He asked unsure.

"That and more. When we felt hopeless or when we cried or just couldn't cope anymore we comforted each other. We were comrades from the same world so we had a connection." Lucy explained and Gray sighed before grabbing his chin trying to consider the information. He couldn't really be mad at her for that, although it was a little annoying that she had cried in that man's arms instead of his. Especially since she knew what Zeref had done to his family.

"Is that it? Not keeping anything more from us?" He asked and Lucy shook her head. That was it.

"Alright, I can live with that." Gray said and gave her a kiss before going upstairs. Koshi began leaving, he wanted to talk to Lina.

"Try not to agitate her." Lucy said as he left and he waved his hands to confirm that he heard the order. He knew the walk over to Lina like the back of his hand, but he had never felt this nervous when walking it. He hoped that she would at least see him this time.

He carefully knocked trying to hear if someone on the other side was watching and when no one answered he entered. They rarely locked it, everyone knew who live there and only somebody stupid would try to break in.

The house was quiet but he knew Lina was home, her door was closed and it was only closed when she was home, otherwise she leaves it open because she forgets to close it.

"Lina? It's me, can we please talk?" Koshi asked as he stood in front of the door hoping she would open it. She didn't.

"I know you're in there and if you don't want to talk then that's fine, just listen." Koshi said before he shut up, he didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry." Seemed like a good place to start as any.

"I didn't know you loved me, honestly I didn't. I'm even more sorry for not feeling the same. I know that we probably won't be able to go back to how we used to be but I really don't want to lose you as my friend. You're the best one I've had." Koshi said growing frustrated towards the end almost on the verge of tears.

"Is there anything I can do to help you then please tell me and I'll do it. Just… don't shut me out." He begged and his eyes widened because the door began to slowly open. Lina looked at him from the other side and he tilted his head to try and see her better.

"Hi" He said almost afraid that the door would be slammed shut any second now.

"Hi" She said back and stepped out of her room while he stepped back a little to allow her.

"Are you alright?" Koshi asked when he noticed that she had in fact lost a little weight. She nodded and then side stepped him to the living room where she sat down and he followed before he sat down opposite her.

"I know that you want to fix this as soon as possible so that we can return to normal but this isn't something that can be fixed." Lina said and Koshi nodded defeatedly.

"This isn't your fault, it's no one's fault. You can't help the feelings you catch. I caught them for you and I need time to process and get over them. I'm not mad at you, not really, just disappointed that you didn't feel the same. I thought that when it came to time spent together I wouldn't lose but even then I did." Lina said and Koshi sat quietly listening.

"Lose?" Koshi asked before he could stop himself and Lina looked at him before she gave a bitter chuckle.

"I know that you aren't the smartest person when it comes to feelings but surely you have to at least know about your own." Lina said but when she saw his confused look she sighed.

"Didn't you ever ask yourself why I confessed when I did, why now? Why not years ago? What pushed me to do it?" Lina asked hypothetically, he shrugged his shoulders. He hadn't thought about that at all.

"I felt threatened that you would get taken. Before I knew I had time, time to make you fall for me like I had for you but then it changed and in my stress and insecurity I confessed." Lina explained but he looked as clueless as before if not even more so.

"You fell in love Koshi. With somebody else and I had hoped that by confessing you wouldn't realize it." Lina continued and finally gained a reaction from him. A surprised one.

"With w-"

"Kristall. The moment she appeared you began acting differently and you always wanted to be by her side. You really didn't realize that?" Lina asked and almost felt tempted to laugh at the shock he was experiencing and the blush that was creeping up on him.

"That's not-" He stopped because he had to think about it.

"True?" Lina finished and dared him to prove her wrong. She would be more then happy if he did but it wasn't very likely.

Koshi looked down at his hands thinking about it and then realized that he probably did love her. When he thought about her he always had a smile and he felt his heart thump. The moment he saw her after he had saved her he had been mesmerized and had only come to like her more and more the more he got to know her. He looked at Lina with pity and she threw a pillow at him.

"Do NOT pity me." She demanded but he couldn't help it.

"I'm sorry." He said honestly as he removed the pillow.

"Like I said, you can't help who you fall in love with. I don't blame you, I just wish I was her." Lina confessed and Koshi was about to say something but he didn't know what so he sat there with an open mouth.

"It'll be fine Koshi, you're right. We won't go back to what we once had but we'll still be friends. I just need time to get over you, at least give me that." Lina said and Koshi nodded before he got up and started leaving but before he left he looked back at her.

"If it's for any consolation, I do love you." Koshi said and Lina laughed.

"I know." She said and he gave a small chuckle as he left to find his mother.

She was still at home with dad talking about the other world and the strange relationship she had had with the darkest magician of all time.

"So you didn't fall in love with him?" Gray asked again just to make sure and she rolled her eyes at him.

"I already told you, no. We just understood each other since both of us had been thrust into the same situation which made us confide in each other." Lucy explained again and Gray nodded but before he could ask his next question Koshi stepped in.

"Mom, can you call Le-Lo?" Koshi asked quickly and she looked at him.

"Why?"

"I need to ask him something, please?" He begged and she shrugged and tapped her key before a cloud of smoke appeared.

"Princess, what can I do for you?" Loke asked with a small bow and Lucy merely pointed towards Koshi.

"Oh, what can I do for the little prince?" Loke asked with a knowing grin and Koshi regretted his decision.

"Those lessons you offered, I'd like to take you up on that offer." Koshi said quietly and Loke put his arm around the boy.

"What was that, I couldn't quite hear you." Loke lied and Koshi gave him a look, both knew that the man was lying.

"I want your help so please teach me." Koshi asked and Loke pushed his glasses up closer before he hmmed and then grinned.

"Alright, just a question before we begin." Loke said as he guided the boy out of earshot from his parents.

"Who is it you're trying to woo?" Loke asked and Koshi blushed.

"Why do you keep calling it woo, call it date or something." Koshi complained and Loke huffed.

"Well excuse me, being an immortal being sometimes makes you forget to keep up with the latest trends. Besides women like the word woo, it sounds more romantic." Loke explained and Koshi rolled his eyes.

"Now, stop trying to avoid the question." He said with a grin.

"Kristall" Koshi whispered and Loke had to actually concentrate this time because it had been said so quietly.

"Alright, and what would you like to learn?" He asked for humor's sake, in all honestly, he didn't really need to teach him anything. He just had to give him some courage to take the first step.

"I don't know. How to ask someone's out, and not get rejected?" Koshi asked unsure, the ordeal with Lina had scared him a little. There was always a chance Kristall would say no. Loke raised an eyebrow at the end of the sentence and then sighed.

"There is always a chance she might say no. She has that right. However that shouldn't stop a man from trying, and besides I promise that with me teaching you, you won't fail." Loke assured. Most of that had to do with that the girl probably liked him already.

"And if, she does break your heart then I'll take you out drinking. Just don't tell your mom." Loke whispered and Koshi began laughing.

"I have had alcohol before." Koshi said and Loke snorted.

"Those wine and whiskey lessons you've had with your grandpa is nothing compared to what I'm going to give you." Loke said convincingly and Koshi believed him.

"First thing first. The romantic grand gesture." Loke began while holding up his finger as a matter of fact.

"I mean you could be a little boring and just ask but women like the gesture." Loke then quickly explained because it looked like the kid was going to question him.

"Fine, what kind of gesture?" Koshi asked with a sigh. He wasn't going to start questioning Le-Lo, the man knew what he was doing.

"Oh they vary from huge bouquets of flower, hiring horses and carriage, but most important, you need to look good. So that means a suit and fixed hair." Loke explained and Koshi nodded, this wasn't exactly anything new but if he didn't have the help then he might've been running around in circles and then maybe never found the courage to do something.

"I don't want to do something overly complicated." Koshi said quickly and Loke nodded.

"Alright, so let's go with a suit with blue and white roses." Loke said not and Koshi nodded. Seemed simple enough.

"And you'll need a speech, need help with that or can you do it?" Loke asked and Koshi thought about it.

"What do I need to talk about?"

"Stupid question. Why you like her of course, and don't forget 'how you would be honored if she would go out with you.' Got it?" Loke asked and when Koshi nodded, he grinned.

"Final question. How soon do you want to confess?" Loke asked and Koshi blushed. He hadn't thought about it, he had just realized that he liked her.

"Can we wait a little bit? I need a little time to get used to the thought that I like her." Koshi asked honestly and Loke nodded.

"Alright, see you in a month." Loke said and patted his back before he returned home leaving Koshi there with the task of writing a small speech.

"What did you want from him?!" Lucy screamed from her place in the couch after she felt Loke return.

"Just wanted to ask a question!" Koshi screamed back and then ran away before she could question him some more.

Lucy looked at her husband knowing it was a lie and Gray shrugged.

"He'll be fine." Gray answered the unasked question. He wasn't exactly sure what he had asked of Loke but he had a faint idea.

"If he's anything like his dad." Lucy answered with a smile and stroked his cheek lovingly. Gray smiled and kissed her, he really loved her.

"So, a boy or girl?" Lucy asked and looked into his eyes. They held so much joy in them after she had asked that question.

"We already have a boy so a girl would be nice, but I'm happy as long as the child is healthy." Gray answered and then kissed her again. She smiled into the kiss, because she felt exactly the same.

"Then let's hope for a girl." Lucy said and began heading to the kitchen, she had some cravings that desperately needed to be taken care of.

"On second thought, let's have another boy!" Gray screamed after her and she laughed.

"Why?"

"Because girls breaks your heart, look at Natsu. The flame moron feels helpless right now and I don't think I would be able to handle that." Gray explained and Lucy giggled.

"If he could keep calm and not do anything despite being such an impulsive person then I'm sure you can too sweetie." Lucy explained and Gray groaned. He wasn't sure of it.

"What are you eating?" He asked when she came back with a plate, he could of course see the contents but he felt the need to ask.

"Bell peppers and chocolate. They work surprisingly well together." She explained and picked up some chocolate with a cut piece of bell pepper.

"You're crazy" He mumbled but she heard him and laughed.

"It's called cravings, trust me you'll get used to me eating bizarre things. I remember when Loke would look at me like I had three heads when I mixed pickled vegetables with chocolate cake and black pudding." Lucy said and laughed when she saw her husband's grimace.

"Black pudding? How? Why?" Gray asked despite himself.

"I don't know, it just tasted good. That wasn't the worst part though, wait until the hormones kick in. Loke always claimed that was the worst part." Lucy said and then took another bite of her bell pepper. Gray sat quietly feeling a little left out, he had wanted to be there for her pregnancy with Koshi but had missed it. It annoyed him that Loke has been there and not him but that was in the past. He was going to be there this time, during the good and the bad times and he was looking forward to it.

A month passed and Loke came to see how far Koshi had gotten. The boy had done surprisingly well and had finished, all that was left was the grand gesture.

"So we're going to make it simple. No horses, bands or writing in the sky." Loke said and Koshi nodded thankful for that.

"I'm thinking that we make it snow-"

"In the middle of the summer?" Koshi intervened before Loke could continue.

"Yes, because it would make it all the more special now wouldn't it. You can handle that can't you?" Loke dared and Koshi huffed, of course he could.

"And then?"

"Well then you walk up to her in a dashing suit, black. With the roses, give your speech and then ask her out, easy enough." Loke finished and Koshi nodded. At least there wouldn't be any horse carriages.

"I can do that." Koshi said agreeing with the plan.

"Let's go then." Loke said and stood up ready to leave. Koshi looked alarmed.

"Wait wait, right now? I need time to prepare mentally for this." He began rambling and Loke sighed.

"You had a month, now let's go." Loke continued and grabbed the boy by his collar dragging him.

"First stop, the mansion. We have a bigger variety of suits there." Loke said and dragged him outside.

"Fine, I'll buy some train tickets." Koshi murmured a little happy that he could buy time that way.

"That'll take to long, I'll just switch with Auriga." Loke answered and Koshis nose scrunched up. He couldn't say anything because he himself had used that trick years ago when he wanted things to go his way. Loke waited a few seconds before he made the switch and Auriga stood there proudly waiting for his order.

"Hi Auri, been a while. Have you been well?" Koshi asked as he climbed up on the chariot. The spirit nodded and then shock the reins making the chariot ascend into the air. A few minutes later and it landed right at the door. Koshi stepped off and Loke took his place guiding the boy towards the closet there.

"So, since the theme is obviously blue we'll go with a dark blue shirt." Loke began and picked it off its hanger while giving it to him carefully so that no wrinkles would appear. Koshi took his own clothes of quickly and put it on standing there in his underwear and the shirt.

"Usually I would recommend golden cuff links since you're blond but since the theme is ice we're going with silver ones, they are both sleek and modern." Loke advised and handed him a pair of silver ones with a blue rhinestone that Koshi wasted no time to put on.

"A silver necktie, and a blue gem covered tiepin." Loke said and handed him both.

"Silver watch as well" Loke said as an afterthought and handed him that as well.

"Now as for the suit, we'll take a black one but when it comes to the details I'm a little torn. Straight stripes makes you taller and older but a complete black would probably be better. Should we go with a vest or not?" Loke said and pondered question he himself had asked while Koshi put on everything that was handed to him.

"Let's go with a completely black one." Loke decided and took out two different one and then handed the darker to Koshi that put on the pants and then waited on the verdict of the vest.

"Let's go with a vest after all. Usually you wouldn't but it's a special occasion." Loke said and then went to pick shoes.

"And there we go, all that's left is either a blue or silver handkerchief." He picked up both and compared, the silver one fitted better with the tie so he put it in and then stepped back to admire his work.

"Mhm, I'm awesome." Loke said to himself while Koshi stood and fixed the small details.

"Sure you are." Koshi said and stood straight putting all of the manner lessons into work.

"Next are the roses." Loke put his hand up and with a poof a huge bouquet appeared with roses ranging from dark blue to white.

"You have roses in the celestial world?" Koshi asked as he looked at the size of them, they were bigger than any he had seen.

"We have everything." Loke said with a wink and then guided them out of the closet.

"I assume that something big is going to happen considering the outfit." Jude said when they stepped out and he waited for them there.

"Grandpa! Hi, we just um, came for the suit." Koshi said surprised while Loke agreed with him, something big was going to happen.

"In the endeavor of wooing a woman a man must not forget his courage and confidence." Jude wisely said already figuring out what was going on. Loke nodded at the words agreeing wholeheartedly.

"However, you seem to have forgotten one thing." Jude observed and walked over to the cabinet where he picked a bottle nodding to himself before he brought it over.

"A good cologne is always an appreciated necessity." Jude explained and dabbed a few drops on his neck foregoing the wrists since the suit jacket was already on.

"And don't forget, where you come from." Jude added and gave him the family heirloom ring that Koshi hesitantly put on his finger.

"Thank you grandpa." Koshi said a little embarrassed. Jude didn't feel the same and nodded proudly. He knew it would go well for his grandson.

"Alright, now that that's been taken care of, let's go. I'll switch with Auriga again and then we'll be on our merry way." Loke said as he walked outside while Koshi stayed behind, he took a deep breath trying to calm his nerves.

"Leith! What have I told you about leaving clothes on the floor!" Talia screamed the moment she came in the house with the shopping bags.

"I do remember having a conversation about that but I just can't seem to remember how it ended!" Leith screamed back not bothering to make an appearance.

"Just come here and clean this up!" She screamed back.

"And where is Kristall?" She asked when she put the bags down and saw the absence of one person.

"In the back, watering the flowers." He answered calmly as he began picking up the clothes he himself had discarded.

"Why is the ice magician watering the flowers?" Talia asked with a sigh.

"She said that it calms her." Leith quickly cut in before the the lecture began. Talia only rolled her eyes before she began unpacking the groceries.

Kristall held the hose while watering the different kind of flowers they had while carefully making sure she didn't over water them. She felt the sun heat her skin up, she honestly didn't like the heat that much but today it felt nice. The weather only seemed to get better as she closed her eyes and enjoyed it.

Talia reacted when she saw snow begin to fall for some reason despite it being in the middle of the summer. She wondered if Kristall had made it since she couldn't be bothered to water all of the flowers, their mother had a large collection after all.

She looked out and then a devious smile appeared when she saw that Koshi began walking towards Kristall, that still hadn't noticed, in a suit with flowers. She hid and began watching them.

Koshi stopped a few meters away from her and smiled at how beautiful she was. She looked like and angel with the sun shining on the face while the snow fell around her. He waited patiently for her to notice, Le-Lo had been insistent on that part. It was more romantic apparently.

Kristall started opening her eyes after a while wondering why she had felt something wet every now and then. She saw the snow falling and realized that it had been why she had thought the weather had improved. She wondered when she had accidentally released her magic and sighed. She tried to retract it but couldn't, the snow kept falling.

She realized quite quickly why the snow hadn't disappeared. The reason being quite simple, it wasn't her magic.

"Koshi?" She asked a little shocked not believing her eyes.

"What's going on?" She asked incredulously as she observed him. He looked beyond handsome standing there with flowers in his hands with a smile.

"Kristall, you are the most beautiful woman I've ever met. The first day that I saw you my heart skipped a beat. You are compassionate, understanding, funny and the greatest person I've had the honor of meeting. You care, probably too much and care far too much as well. And I've never had a day with you that was boring and I never want to spend a day that isn't with you." Koshi began and he suspected that she knew where this was going because she began crying while bringing her hands to her mouth almost trembling. He didn't know if that was a good sign or not but before he lost his courage he would continue.

"I am here, to ask you if you would do me the honor of going out with me?" Koshi asked in an even voice. He felt nervous and he had forgotten most of his speech but he had improvised it.

Kristall had to take a deep breath because she couldn't believe what had just happened and what had just been said. It was what she had fantasized about. The real deal had been far better than any imagination. She looked straight into the man that had asked her out and smiled.

She ran into him and kissed him and he caught her easily before he returned the kiss. They broke off and their foreheads rested against each other.

"I'm taking that as an yes." He said with a smile and she laughed before she nodded and then began chanting the word 'yes' like a mantra afraid that if she didn't agree, it wouldn't be real.

"Congratulations!" Talia screamed as she came out of the house with a clap. Koshi grinned but didn't let go of Kristall that blushed in his arms.

"Thank you." Koshi said honestly and the. let go of Kristall. She instead grabbed the roses that he happily let go.

"These are beautiful." Kristall said as she observed them for the first time carefully.

"You're more beautiful." Koshi said and Kristall blushed before she hid her face behind them and then excused herself so that she could put them in water.

"So… does this count as incest?" Talia joked and Koshi glared. He flicked his wrist as he passed her and a small ice spear flung against her. She easily blocked it with some water but laughed at his reaction.

"Our fathers aren't related by blood so I think we're good." Koshi said before he entered the house following his girlfriend. He smiled at the word and Talia tilted her head.

"It isn't fun if you don't react more!" She complained and Koshi shut her out of the house because he knew if he didn't she would try and get a rise out of him.

"I've never seen roses become this big before. Are they special?" Kristall asked him as she put them on the table.

"They're from the celestial world." Koshi offered as an explanation and she looked mildly surprised.

"They have roses there?" She asked and he repeated Le-Lo's words.

"Apparently they have everything." Koshi said with a smile and Kristall giggled.

"Hi Koshi, what are you doing here?" Leith asked when he noticed him standing in their house out of place with an professional attire.

"Asking your sister out" He explained honestly and Leith looked towards his sister and him understanding.

"Good luck with that. At least you asked out the more sensible one." He said and moved out of their way feeling a little like the third wheel.

Koshi laughed wholeheartedly, the humor evident in his voice as his youngest cousin left. Kristall laughed as well but mostly because his laugh was so infectious that she couldn't help it.

"I don't know if I should take his words as an insult or not." Talia said as she walked inside, having picked the lock. Koshi kept laughing even more with those words.

"Oh shut it." Talia ordered and flicked water at him as revenge. He blocked it easily.

"Hey, careful. Do you know how much this suit costs?" Koshi joked and Talia rolled her eyes while Kristall sneakily glanced towards him. He was really handsome right now and she couldn't stop looking.

Koshi noticed her watching him and turned to look at her but she swiftly moved her eyes away a little embarrassed to get caught. He grinned and moved closer.

"You can look at me all you like, because I'm all yours." He whispered in her ear and she squealed and held her ear while moving away.

"Don't do that!" She screamed at him and he laughed.

"This is somewhat disturbing." Talia said a little louder than usual gaining their attention.

"Then don't look." Koshi answered deviously while Kristall blushed. Talia scrunched her nose and then she began leaving the room.

"Whatever, I'm gone." Talia said and then they heard the 'thump' of a door.

"Do you want anything to drink?" Kristall asked and moved to the kitchen and he followed.

"Water is fine." He answered and sat down. She complied and sat down after handing him a glas.

They began talking a little about the future, their relationship and liked and dislikes. Nothing too big but it was nevertheless a pleasant conversation. So much so that a few hours had passed and Koshi decided that it was time to go home.

"Where are your parents by the way?" Koshi asked as he began stepping out.

"On a mission, they won't be back before next week sometime." Kristall explained and he nodded.

"Alright, I'll talk to you soon." Koshi said and kissed her before he gave a laugh at her stupefied expression.

"You're not the only one that can do that you know." He said and she laughed.

He began leaving and walked back the way he came from. He looked a little sheepishly as he looked around, trying to find the person that he had came with.

"I'm sorry, I forgot about you waiting." Koshi answered honestly when he saw Le-Lo sitting against a tree, reading a book. He looked up amused.

"I'm assuming it went well." Loke said as he stood up and dusted of whatever had clung to him.

"Yes, amazingly so." Koshi answered with a smile and Loke nodded.

"Good job my boy, let's hear it. Did everything go according to plan?" Loke wondered and Koshi looked a little embarrassed.

"Most of it. I kind of forgot the speech because of embarrassment but I improvised." Koshi answered and Loke laughed.

"Alright, let's go home then. I'm sure your mom is starting to wonder why I've stayed in this world so long." Loke said with a gulp. He could wander around how much he wanted, Lucy wasn't that possessive but she was curious. If she noticed that her son was missing as well then she could connect those dots and then there would be an interrogation.

"OK, can I ask you to take me here sometimes." Koshi asked and Loke just gave a thumb up.

"Anything for young love." He answered and then changed with Auriga that took the boy home.

Lucy hadn't asked because she had figured out quickly enough what had happened. She had congratulated them both and then told Gray that had looked shocked by the news.

"Kristall? Kristall as in my brother daughter Kristall? You're not lying to me right now or pulling my leg?" Gray asked for the fiftieth eleventh time.

"Yes." Koshi answered again. He was beginning to get a little worried that his father wasn't going to approve.

"Does my brother know?" Gray asked and Koshi shock his head.

"No not yet, they were away on a mission when I was there." He explained and Gray sighed while he draped his hand over his face. He then began laughing so much tears formed and both son and mother glanced at each other.

"No, sorry. It's just, I'm sure Lyon never would've seen this coming or her would've kept you away from her. He always talked about how he got rid of every boy that got close to his daughters. But he didn't pay attention to the one he should've!" Gray explained while laughing and Lucy began giggling as well. Koshi rolled his eyes, he didn't exactly like being compared to vermin.

"This is gold." Gray continued and then when he began calming down he looked towards towards his son.

"I always assumed you would get together with Lina but if Kristall makes you happy then I'm happy. Congratulations." Gray eventually said and Koshi sighed.

"Why did everyone just assume that? I like Kristall not Lina. I'm getting tired of it, are you saying I should just go out with Lina because she likes me?" Koshi defended and Gray sighed.

"I'm not saying that, quite the opposite actually. I'm proud that you aren't just doing what other people wants or just because of pressure. Trust me I know what I'm talking about, I started dating someone just because she liked me. Everyone felt pity for her because I didn't like her and started pressuring me." Gray explained and Koshi looked a little surprised and then glanced towards his mother that shrugged.

"In the same way everyone saw how much Lina liked you and because of it we became a little prejudiced. Guys are a little bit more dumb when it comes to feelings so all of us just thought that you felt the same but hadn't realized it yet." Gray explained and Koshi rolled his eyes.

"Well you were wrong." He finished with that and began returning to his room.

"Clearly." Gray said right before he was out of hearing range.

"I didn't picture you as the kind of guy that would fall for peer pressure." Lucy said with a smile and Gray gave a small glare.

"Wish I could say it wasn't that, but that's exactly what it was. And a little brainwashing from myself into thinking that I liked her." Gray said with while thinking of his influential younger self.

"Well at least I raised our son to have more sense then that." Lucy joked and Gray mumbled something that Lucy couldn't hear.

Time passed quickly for the family. Koshis relationship had soared and there wasn't a day where they wouldn't meet or talk. They were happy and enjoyed each other's company.

Gray had insisted on meeting there when his brother had been informed and laughed the whole time. Lyon had obviously been shocked but after that he hadn't known how to react. Juvia had been more open minded and accepted it rather easily. Lyon had been torn between wanting to protect his daughter but the guy she had gotten together with was his own student.

He had found an stress reliever by beating up his younger, laughing brother. They had started a fight and as a result the small house had been submerged in winter. Juvia had scolded them both because her flowers had been close to perishing because of the temperature dropping.

Lyon had eventually come to accept it because he knew Koshi was a great guy and he saw how happy his daughter was with him.

The months that followed were happy ones, Lucy's pregnancy continued without any problems or difficulties and she was beginning to become bigger. Gray had somewhat learned how to handle her mood swings but he had no idea how the mind of a woman worked. Loke had laughed at him 90% of the time, mostly because he recollected how he had gone through it.

They were in the guild when Lucy had flipped a table because they had begun talking about going on a S-class mission. She had all but forbidden it and Gray scared witless had no choice and agreed. She had left fuming leaving the guild members shocked.

"That was gold. Who would've thought a pregnant woman would have so much power over you all?" Loke laughed as he popped up and received a few glares.

"You shouldn't talk, you went through this as well." Gray said and stood up from the floor and grabbed the table, fixing it.

"I handled her tantrums like a perfect gentleman, there were never any flipped tables." Loke defended and sat down.

"Well you've had thousands of years of practice." Gray said with a laugh and Loke shrugged.

"How far along is she now?" Loke asked instead, he knew approximately but timekeeping wasn't his forte.

"About eight months." Gray answered and returned continued drinking. Natsu was grinning from ear to ear. He loved seeing his friend being whipped.

"8 months, are you sure?" Loke asked and then looked towards where she had left while getting a far away look, thinking about something.

"Yeah…. why?" Gray asked a little alarmed and curious at the same time.

"Nothing, it's just…" Loke began and then shut up. Natsu looked at Loke and then at Gray and they both looked curious.

"Excuse me for a while." Loke said and stood up leaving two confused men in the guild.

He followed Lucy and found her in the house eating ice cream with Koshi cooking something in the kitchen.

"Can I ask you something princess?" Loke asked as he sat down close to her by the couch.

"Of course Loke." Lucy said with a smile, her hormones had calmed down and she was cheery again.

"How far along are you? Exactly." He asked specifically and she tilted her head.

"In the 32nd week." Lucy answered and Loke looked down at her stomach.

"Aren't you a lot bigger than you're supposed to be?" Loke asked carefully and he heard the sharp intake of air from the kitchen.

"Are you calling me fat?" Lucy asked and stopped eating the ice cream. Loke just smiled.

"I would never call the perfection that you are fat. However, I think that you are unusually big. Lucy, you might be carrying twins." Loke said with a smile and she went into shock.

"WHAT!?" Koshi screamed and ran into the living room where Lucy still looked a little taken back.

"Are you sure?" She eventually asked as she came out of it and he shrugged.

"Not completely no. But don't you think it would make more sense?" Loke questioned and Lucy looked down at herself and her stomach. She herself had noticed that she was bigger this time, but just thought that her child was growing a bit too fast or something of the sort.

"It would." Lucy answered with a laugh.

"Oh great, another sibling. Like one wasn't enough." Koshi said sarcastically and draped his hand over his face and slowly into his hair. Lucy laughed and then began crying.

"What's wrong?" Loke asked a little worried.

"Nothing, I'm just so happy that the tears won't stop." Lucy explained and Loke rubbed her back with his hand understanding.

"Wanna check for sure?" Loke asked trying to get her on other thoughts. It worked and she stopped crying.

"How?"

"It's a spirit you don't have a contract with. Asclepius the healer. He's a genius and could find out and even tell you the genders of you want." Loke offered and Lucy's eyes shot up. She had heard of him, he was a legend. She nodded her head and Loke chuckled, she was still very much dedicated when it came to her spirits.

Loke left leaving an anxious mother and son behind.

"So, how's Kristall?" Lucy asked as a diversion and Koshi looked at his mother.

"Fine, it's a little difficult since we're apart but we're making it work." Koshi answered and sat down.

"I'm happy for you. Is Lina handling it better, I know she was pretty devastated when she found out." Lucy said and Koshi sighed.

"At the beginning she was yeah, but she knew it was going to happen eventually, just not that soon. She's, according to herself, over me and we've started hanging out again but it's not the same." Koshi explained and Lucy nodded.

"Miss Lucy, Leo has sent me to give you an examination regarding your pregnancy." A man's voice interrupted them and the looked to see a man in his forties standing there. He was holding a staff with two snakes twirling it and Lucy smiled.

"Asclepius, it's a pleasure to meet you." She acknowledged him and he bowed.

"Same to you, I've heard a great many deal about you from various friends." Asclepius said and then approached her.

"This will but take a moment. Please remain calm and try not to move." Asclepius advised as he moved his staff and it began glow while the snakes started moving. Lucy felt little disgusted at the snakes but remained calm. She trusted him.

He moved it above her stomach and held it there for a moment and then stepped back.

"Leo was correct, you are indeed carrying twins. Fraternal twins to be more precise. They are both healthy and have grown well." Asclepius informed them and she laughed at the news.

"And? Did you happen to find out their genders?" She asked with a clap and Koshi rolled his eyes at her, she was acting like a child.

"Indeed I did. Both children are of opposite sex." He said with a bow and then awaited any more questions.

"Is there anything to be concerned about?" Lucy asked finally and he shock his head.

"Thank you Asclepius. You may return if you wish." Lucy offered and he bowed before he disappeared.

"Who was that? A new spirit?" Gray asked when he stepped into the room. He had seen a glimpse of the man and when he saw him disappear he knew it was a spirit.

"No, he was here because of Loke." Lucy said and Gray sat down wondering what had happened. Loke had left in a somewhat hurried manner.

"That was Asclepius the healer. He is known as being the father of medicine." Lucy began explaining but couldn't finish because he grabbed her.

"Are you sick? Is the baby OK? What happened? I can't believe Loke saw it before me." Gray said too fast and Lucy couldn't get a word in.

"Dad calm down, she's fine! Jeez, he just came and confirmed that mom was carrying twins." Koshi said when he saw that his mom was getting overwhelmed because of his dad's questions.

"Twins?" Gray asked, it was the only word he had picked up.

"Yeah twins. As in two babies." Koshi said with a grin. He liked it when his dad became flabbergasted.

"A boy and a girl." Lucy said and held up two of her fingers. Gray began chuckling and then just kissed her. He had no words.

"I love you so much." Gray said and hugged her.

"I love you too." Lucy answered and held the arms that were wrapped around her.

"Bleh." Koshi made the sound and then left the room, he was going to go see Kristall. Lucy and Gray gave a small laugh at their son's reaction knowing that he didn't like it when they became too affectionate in front of him. However that's also why they enjoyed doing it even more.

* * *

**6 months later**

"Alright! Is everyone ready!?" Lucy asked with a scream as she looked towards both teams. She sat comfortably from her high chair so that she could observe them easily since she was the judge. Gray was taking care of the twins close by.

"Today's match is going to be ice vs water magic! On the water magicians side we have Juvia, Talia and Leith Bastia! With the ice magicians we have Lyon and Kristall Bastia as well as my cute boy Koshi Fullbuster!" Lucy introduced to the people that had gathered, mostly guild members but there were some townsfolk in the crowd.

"There exists 3 rules. Firstly, you win if the other team admits loss or becomes unconscious, no serious injuries, particularly deadly ones!" She glared at her son after saying that and he averted his eyes guiltily.

"Secondly, stepping outside of the marked ground counts as as a loss!" Lucy informed and pointed towards the red marking on the ground.

"Lastly, no physiological fighting! No threatening or blackmail of any kind!" Lucy said with a smile.

"Right now, you are unable to use magic because of my magic. That's so that you can't start casting before I give the signal! The moment I give it, I will return the magic and the moment I do the match begins, does everyone understand?" Lucy asked and both teams nodded.

"It feels weird to not have any magic." Leith said and shock his hands in discomfort but nothing happened. Talia agreed and Koshi laughed at them.

"Tell me about it." He said after he stopped laughing.

"Alright! Water team! Are you ready!?" Lucy asked and they nodded. Juvia was smiling, happy that she could spar with her family.

"Ice! Are you ready?!" Lucy asked and looked at her son's team.

"You better not lose blockhead! Not you either stupid son of mine!" Gray screamed from where he sat and received a finger from his brother while his son ignored the comment.

"Alright then, ready! And GO!" Lucy proudly waved down a flag while simultaneously releasing her magic allowing them access to it.

The more experienced magicians retreated and observed the other team. The less experienced followed nervously.

Talia was itching and threw a water lock towards her sister that glared from the water. Koshi came and froze the ball and then broke the ice freeing her.

Kristall glared at her sister and retaliated with a wave of ice flowing towards her. Talia used her water and pushed herself of the ground and dodged it.

"Water lock does not work on ice magicians sweetie. Neither on fire magicians for that matter. How they don't freeze or boil themselves to death is a mystery." Juvia explained to her children.

"Because we're awesome, that's why!" Natsu screamed from the crowd.

"Hell yeah!" Gray screamed agreeing with the previous words.

Koshi smiled at his girlfriend that looked frustrated and she noticed it.

"If you have time to smile then do something." Kristall said and Koshi grinned.

"Your wish is my law my lady." Koshi said with a bow and then stomped in the ground creating an ice floor. He changed the terrain into their advantage and glided towards them with ease while they began adapting towards the slippery floor. He approached a Talia with a smile.

"Sorry, but your sister asked me too." Koshi said and created a buck that pushed her and began slowly pushing her out of the marks. She couldn't get a footing and realized that she was going to lose. She muttered something before she unsheathed her sword and cut of its head in one clean strike.

"I hadn't exactly planned on using my sword this soon." Talia said and watched Koshi that shrugged. He created two dual swords and began attacking her, she blocked with some difficulty because she couldn't fix her footing.

Leith looked at Koshi as his sister trying to figure out how to help. He looked uncertain before he threw a water whip towards his cousin but Koshi noticed and dodged it with ease while keeping up with the spar.

Kristall trusted Koshi and approached her brother that didn't notice until she was right in front of him.

"Even if you focus on one battle you should never forget to observe your surroundings." Kristall said and Leith pulled up an water wall creating some distance between them.

The parents stood and watched, observing their children so that they knew what to work on later.

Kristall just walked through slowly while focusing. She had coated herself in ice and kept on doing it while walking because the water cleaned it off. Leith stuck out his tongue at her and she rolled her eyes at him.

"What did I just tell you?" Kristall asked her brother as she walked tauntingly towards him.

"Not to lose focus." He said and threw a water weapon at her. She blocked it and sighed.

"Look at your surroundings." She repeated and as she did he stumbled and fell over a rock she had created.

She threw her magic at him and spears appeared trying to hit him but he rolled away, avoiding them. She kept on throwing them quickly so that he couldn't recover. All his focus went to rolling away that he didn't notice the markings that were beginning to come closer.

When he finally noticed he stopped rolling and put up a water shield that blocked the spear and then moved away.

"I think that IF that hit me I would be dead by now, don't you think?" Leith asked his sister and she smiled.

"Of course not, it would've hurt like hell but I was aiming for a place where you don't have any vital organs." Kristall said and received a glare from her brother. She was lying. She had used weaker ice than usual and had he actually been hit he would've received a wound but the ice would've shattered before doing any real damage. She just wanted him to roll out of the bounds.

Leith huffed and raised his magic level and then smiled at his sister, if she could play dirty so could he. Kristall barely had the time to turn around to see what her brother had done.

A huge wave swept over them all pushing both Leith and Kristall outside of the bounds. Koshi noticed the wave and stuck down his swords into the ground to have something to hold on to. Talia saw the wave as well but since it was her element she didn't do anything special. Neither did Juvia, Lyon froze his feet to the ground though. Koshi felt the heat of the water and couldn't help the grin. On top of getting rid of his sister he had also attacked with warm water which caused the ice on the floor to melt.

"Why'd you do that for!?" Kristall screamed and slapped her brother in the back of his head.

"Well I knew I was going to lose so I thought I might as well take you with me." Leith said and smiled happily that his plan had worked. Kristall just sighed and then began laughing.

"Kristall from the Ice Team and Leith from the Water Team has been eliminated!" Lucy announced and then focused on the people in the match ready to intervene at any second.

Koshi barely had the time to see if his girlfriend was okay before he got attacked by Talia.

"The terrain isn't to your advantage anymore so don't think I'm going to lose now." Talia said and attacked him with her sword that he blocked.

"Perhaps not, but I made a promise to my girlfriend that I intend to keep." Koshi said and then went from defense to offense. It surprised Talia but she quickly returned it and they kept on fighting.

Lyon glanced at his wife's direction to see if she would interfere but it seemed that she had no such intentions. She was observing them just as closely as him. She saw him watching her and locked eyes with him to see if he wanted to battle but they had a conversation with their eyes that only people that understand each other to a tee could have. Both came to the same understanding, they would not intervene and only observe.

Koshi quickly realized that although he had more strength, he was at an disadvantage because she was more skilled at using a sword. However what he realized was that he was better at magic, she relied a little too much on the weapon.

Knowing that, he knew what to do, remove the weapon. He maneuvered his swords so that hers came at an unusual angle. This made it difficult for her to keep holding on to it and she lost her strength. The sword went flying after a few seconds out of the bounds and Koshi twirled his dual sword before he dropped them, he wasn't a weapons user anyway.

"Hey! That's my favorite sword!" Talia screamed and Koshi shrugged.

"Ice make: Lance!" Koshi screamed as he launched his dad's favorite magic spell.

She saw the spears coming and moved out of their way the best she could but Koshi didn't give her time to relax and relaunched it, again and again.

"Son of a" Talia muttered as she dodged and Koshi chuckled. He hadn't heard her but he could make out the movement of her lips enough to know what she had said, he had heard that phrase enough to recognize the lip movement.

He guided her as close as he could to the boundary and then when he saw his opportunity he ran up to her and smiled wickedly.

"You lose." He said and then launched her own fathers spell.

"Ice make: Snow Dragon!" Koshi screamed and a huge dragon appeared and rammed itself into her pushing her out of the bounds.

"Talia Bastia from the Water Team is eliminated!" Lucy screamed, while removing any sign of pride from her voice. She was the judge and had to be neutral. However Koshi had made her proud there.

Talia huffed as she stood up and then flipped him off before she laughed. She left to go retrieve her sword from wherever it landed. Koshi laughed at her and then looked towards Kristall that were clapping for him. He winked at her and then began walking back to where they had started and where the parents hadn't moved from.

"Your wife is the only one left…" Koshi said as he walked closer and Lyon nodded.

"Is she strong?" He asked and they faced each other.

"Infinitely so." Lyon informed and Koshi sighed. He knew that would be the case but he had somewhat hoped that it would be a little easier since they were two against one.

"Any strategies?" Koshi asked and scratched his head.

"A few, none of whom I know are going to work for sure." Lyon said and Koshi laughed.

"Remember the lake up in the mountain? What I told you to do as practice?" Lyon asked and Koshi raised an eyebrow, he remembered.

"I do, what are you suggesting?" Koshi asked and Lyon smiled and then glanced at him.

"The same, but towards her." He explained and Koshi sighed.

"And if it fails?" He asked and Lyon shrugged.

"Then we improvise." He said and immediately after they split up so that they could approach her from two fronts. Juvia watched them both with calculating eyes before she turned towards her husband silently asking him what they were up to. Lyon smiled sheepishly and shrugged, he wasn't going to give it away. She sighed and then went into defense mode.

Lyon began throwing simple spells towards her that had no other purpose other than to distract her. She blocked them easily enough knowing that while she kept watch on the young boy that crept up behind her. She was curious over what they he was going to do so she allowed him to approach her.

Koshi was standing right behind her by now and had no time to think about anything else but the mission he had. He struck her right in the back and became shocked when his hand passed right through her body, it was like it had passed through water. Juvia glanced behind her raising an eyebrow.

He froze on spot thinking he had harmed her before he heard Lyons voice screaming at him to continue. He began freezing her not thinking of the consequences, trusting his teacher's judgement.

Juvia felt how the ice began creeping around her body from his hand and how her body cooled down. She glanced at her husband and sighed.

"This strategy is not going to work." She said and Koshi looked her in the eyes silently wondering why not.

"My body is made of water, and water can have many different temperatures. If your plan is to freeze me, then I'll just have to heat up." Juvia explained while slowly raising the temperature in her body to a boiling point so that Koshi had no choice but to withdraw. He could've fought and try to freeze boiling water, he had done it before. In this case however he knew that no matter how much he fought she would just raise the level higher and higher.

He ran back a little so that she couldn't reach him and then looked towards his teacher asking for the next move. Lyon shrugged and Koshi sighed, they were going to improvise then.

Koshi didn't know what to do so he waited for Lyon to begin and then he planned on assisting. Lyon sized up his wife, he himself not really knowing where to begin. He scratched his head as he thought and almost missed when a water spear came flying for him.

"Do not assume I will just wait for you to have a strategy ready." Juvia said and threw another one towards her husband that dodged it. Koshi looked on between the both of them and then threw an ice spear towards her to gain her attention. She stopped to block the ice spear and Lyon took the moment to throw his own. Eventually they both kept throwing spears at her and she blocked them or she allowed them to pierce through her not damaging her at all. However that was all she could do, there was no time or energy for retaliating.

Lyon changed tactic and threw a snow dragon and Juvia retaliated by throwing a water one. They clashed and fought for strength before they disappeared. Neither Lyon nor Juvia let down and kept attacking each other forgetting Koshi that stood on the side watching them not knowing what to do. The battle was reaching heights where he knew he would only be in the way so he stayed out of it.

They kept on battling throwing huge spells at each other and enjoyed the spar. None were lethal but some were damaging enough to create smaller wounds. They kept on fighting until exhaustion slowly came and they both felt how their magical powers were deflating with each spell. Lyon smiled inadvertently, that was the second plan he had come up with. If he could make it so that she didn't have enough magical power then Koshi could easily defeat her.

He realized something when his student popped into his head and came to a halt, the realization brought a small shock and everyone there saw the shock in the man's face and body language. They looked at him curiously wondering what he had realized and what he was going to do. Juvia was watching him suspiciously as well, she knew that look. That was the look he made when he found the answer to something so obvious but had somehow missed to realize it before.

Lyon began to laugh, a full blown laugh while holding his stomach, he didn't know how he could've missed it before. The crowd looked on curiously, some even joining in on the laugh because it was infectious.

When Lyon had stopped laughing he looked towards Juvia mischievously and she gave a glare, she had no idea what he was going to do and she didn't like it. He began running with everything he got towards her with a smile. She immediately knew something was going to happen and retaliated with some simple spells that only delayed him at best.

He picked her up and she blinked at him as he ran with her right out of the bounds.

"Eh?" Juvia asked and blinked. Lucy mimicked Juvia reaction, not believing it.

"EEEH?!" The crowd screamed not believing that it was over just like that. Lyon only grinned happy with his solution.

"The winner is Koshi Fullbuster of the Ice Team!" Lucy screamed and Koshi stood in the middle of the arena still in shock as he blinked while trying to comprehend what had happened.

It didn't take long for laughter to fill the arena as people saw the humor in the situation. Lyon smiled and kissed Juvia that was still in his arms and she giggled, it had been a good solution to the problem.

Koshi stood in the middle looking around while scratching his head not understanding. He looked towards his mother that shrugged and ported herself to him.

"Wasn't much of a fight but this solution meant less damage and useless fighting. That's how you use your head." Lucy advised and Koshi sighed loudly.

"Whatever." He said and waved his mom off, he didn't have a better answer. Kristall came running up to him and gave him a hug while laughing.

"Congrats on winning!" She said and Koshi rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Cause I did SOO much to win." Koshi said sarcastically and she laughed at him.

"A win's a win!" Gray said as he approached them and Lucy went to him to take one of the twins.

"Have they been behaving?" She asked as she picked up her little girl that giggled.

"Fay has but Alvis hasn't." Gray said and Lucy kissed her son and he made a baby laugh.

"Are these the twins?" Juvia asked as she approached them curiously. Lyon followed equally curious.

"Yes, you haven't met them yet have you?" Lucy asked with a smile.

"No, we've only heard about them from Kristall." Juvia informed and looked at the twins that were safely in their parents arms.

"This is Fay, she was born first." Lucy introduced her brown eyed blue haired little girl. Fay reached her hands out and made a noise only babies could.

"Hello Fay, it's a pleasure to meet you." Juvia said and took her small hand in hers. Lyon nodded and looked towards the small child remembering how his own had grown from that size.

"And this one over here is Alvis. He's a little harder to keep track of." Lucy explained and Gray showed the boy that had heterochromia.

"How beautiful, one brown eye and one blue." Juvia said as she observed them carefully.

"Yes, we were both surprised when we saw it. Gray even thought something was wrong and panicked." Lucy said with a laugh while Gray huffed.

"I've never seen it before, it was a shock." Gray defended and Lucy giggled.

"He's even got some blue streaks among his blond locks." Juvia said as she looked at the small amount of hair that had sprouted. The majority of it was blond but you could see some blue hidden in it.

"Yes, apparently heterochromia can affect either the eyes or the hair and sometimes even both." Lucy explained and tickled her son's chin so that a bubbly laugh emerged.

"Hello Alvis, equally pleased to meet you." Juvia said and reached for his hand but he pulled it back and hid in his father's arms.

"Do you know whose magic they've inherited?" Lyon asked as he observed the little boy in his brother's arms. Just like his brother, he had never seen such a phenomenon in a person and he was curious. Both Lucy and Gray looked at each other and then smiled.

"Actually yes, Koshis magic came at later age but these two have shown them rather early." Lucy said and Koshi defended himself.

"Unlike them I wasn't surrounded by magic the moment I was born so it took a little longer for it to manifest and show itself. Besides they both had dad so it's no wonder they recognized his magic since it resonated with theirs and thanks to that they were able to realize their own." Koshi defended and the parents laughed. They knew that pouting voice.

"So both have inherited Gray's magic?" Lyon asked, considering how the conversation had gone it wasn't that hard to figure out.

"Actually, Fay has but Alvis inherited both. He's a dual magician. It explains his eyes quite a bit." Lucy explained and shock was clear on the Bastias. Dual magicians were rare.

"He's unintentionally been teleporting all over the place and finding him is such a chore. You should've seen Grays reaction when it first happened! I've never seen anyone panic so much." Lucy said with a laugh as she remembered his shocked and horrified expression when Alvis disappeared right in front of them. Juvia began laughing as well imagining it and Lyon chuckled.

"Oh shut up, you would've freaked out to if your infant son disappeared right in front of you." Gray said with a huff and Lyons chuckle escalated to a full blown laugh. Gray glared at his brother, his eyes promising a beating later.

"No complications have emerged because of his dual magic I hope?" Juvia asked and Lucy shock her head.

"No not yet, he's too young to know what he's doing so he's been balancing them naturally. I'm worried that when he grows up he'll neglect one side and it'll cause damage to his body. Dual magicians always have to balance their powers, even if they prefer one magic over the other." Lucy said worriedly like a caring mother would.

"We were thinking of having Jellal teach him how to balance it when he's older." Gray said reassuringly and Lucy nodded agreeing.

"Yeah he gets to have both. Why couldn't I have had that? I could've summoned Le-Lo whenever I wanted as a child. It's so unfair that he gets to do that." Koshi said jokingly with a hint of truth and jealousy.

"Is that jealousy I hear or are my ears deceiving me? Don't worry, you'll always be my little boy that created a slip and slide made of ice and then broke the vase, painting and statue as you glided down it." Loke said as he popped up and snaked his arm around him.

"Soo thaat's what happened. Glad the truth finally came out." Lucy said with a knowing smile, she knew it had been him when it had happened but it was amusing to hear a five year old stumble for an excuse. 'A cat came in and broke everything'.

"Shhh, Le-Lo. Geez, she didn't know that." Koshi said and clamped a hand over the spirits mouth hoping to keep any other secrets from spilling out.

"How stupid do you think your mother is?" Lucy asked humor evident and Fay even laughed so the point came across clearer.

"You knew?" Koshi asked slowly.

"Of course I did. Who would believe that a cat came in and broke everything?" Lucy asked with a raised eyebrow and Koshi sighed.

"What else do you know?" Koshi asked curiously and Lucy raised an eyebrow. In reality she would probably rate her knowledge of his pranks and damages at 90%, there might be something she still didn't know about.

"What else are you hiding?" Lucy asked instead and Koshi voice hitched a little.

"Nothing at all, I promise. Isn't that right Alvis, I'm hiding nothing at all." Koshi said and picked up his younger brother to try and get away. He raised him high up and the baby began laughing. Gray stretched a little after his hands were free and then he missed the feeling and picked up Fay, his little girl.

"I'm gonna teach you so many cool things." Koshi said to Alvis and Lucy glared.

"No pranks." She said sternly and Koshi put on a mock expression.

"I would never." He lied and continued to tell his siblings of all the things they were going to do when they grew up. Gray stood and listened amused as he talked to both Fay that was in his arms and Alvis that were in his sons. He wanted to join in on some of the things Koshi was talking about.

"These kids are going to be so spoiled and overprotected." Lucy said with a sigh to whomever was listening. The men in her family were cooing the babies ignoring the comment. She was 100% right.

"Too much love is better than no love." Juvia said as comfort. She knew how it was to have a husband that was both overprotecting and spoiling of the children. Lucy laughed at that, it was true.

Kristall approached Koshi looking at him as he played with his younger brother and her mind went to babies. She wondered if he would be like that with their children or worse. What would they look like, whose features would they inherit and what gender would they have.

"Kristall? You OK? You zoned out?" Koshi said and nudged her a little worried and she smiled at him.

"I'm fine, just thinking." She answered and he was about to ask her what it was but Alvis began crying. It don't take long for Fay to follow and both males holding the babies looked towards Lucy desperately wondering what had happened and pleading for help. Lucy just sighed.

"Oh sure, now it's my turn." She mumbled and went to Koshi to pick up her son and then took Grays hand.

"They need to be fed and then put down for nap time, we'll meet you at the guild after OK?" Lucy explained and without waiting for an answer from the people present she ported them home.

"I'll go help the princess, I've had good practice with somebody else so I know what I'm doing." Like said and patted Koshis head and he rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure you did." Koshi said and waved away the hand that had been resting on his head. All he heard was Le-Los laugh and then smoke appeared showing them that he had left.

Koshi took Kristalls hand and began walking towards the guild like the rest of them. He didn't miss the chance to take some shots at Talia over how she lost. She eventually got so annoyed that she flipped him off and sent a huge wave towards him pushing both him and Kristall into the canal and they floated away a little before they got up and tried to dry off.

"Remind me not to piss her off again." Koshi said and Kristall laughed.

"It would be useless reminder since you enjoy doing it." Kristall answered and he laughed.

"At least I'll have a lifetime of you reminding me." Koshi said and hugged her. She blushed at the implication and then laughed.

"Yes, and I'll have a lifetime of seeing you ignore that reminder." She returned and he laughed again and leaned back to watch her. She was so beautiful.

"I love you." She said before he could and he chuckled.

"I love you more." He said and then leaned down for a kiss. He didn't know where life would take them but as long as he had her then he would be satisfied.

**_FIN._**


End file.
